Open Skies
by TsuTsuYandere
Summary: Osomatsu had always liked dismissing responsibility and living his own life his own way, even if devils like him were created with a clear purpose: to oppose the Heavens. Either way, that doesn't stop him from accidentally forming a bond with a certain megami. Simultaneously, other major problems arises.
1. Chapter 1

The voice of the Head of Demons droned on, echoing through the spacious hall like some painfully depressing lullaby. How long had this meeting lasted again? Probably not as long as Osomatsu thought it had. These meetings, usually just about an hour long, felt like an eternity each time. His feet hurt from standing up for so long, and he longed for the sweet relief that was lounging around at home, or watching the Fields of Punishment to pass time. Man, it was really nothing to do down here, was it? He'd heard from his friend Totoko, a demon of a lower class than himself, that down where she lived, there were more stuff to do. Not as many rules to follow. But then again, Totoko did like to sprout nonsense if it resulted in making her seem better and more accomplished and lucky than everybody else. Not that he minded. She was a delight to be around. Ah, Totoko…

Noticing that his mind had started to wander off again, he tried focusing on the one preaching at the moment. Being the son of a Devil who's famous for his power and leadership in Hell, Osomatsu had certain rules he had to follow, certain responsibilities. Responsibilities he had at all costs tried to avoid, but to no avail. With them followed these boring meetings, led by his father, Tougou, where they talked about his vision of a perfect world: a world where the Surface, where the humans resided, was under the control of the devils, and Heaven was no more. Personally, Osomatsu thought it was bullshit. His family had held on to this belief for many years and generations, and it had gained quite a lot of followers. Way more than there was in this church – The followers were spread all across Hell, either preaching about this belief, or just silently listening to what Tougou had to say through these preachers. Planning to overthrow the current leader was after all illegal. Which was probably worth mentioning: The ultimate goal of his uncle, and this belief of his, was to throw Lucifer off of his throne; whilst regaining the position himself.

Yeah, it was pretty big. And _completely_ unrealistic.

Being illegal and all, they camouflaged themselves as a normal church of possession. That would mean organizations that sent demons and devils out on the Surface to fuck up the lives of humans, consume their souls, and maybe kill a few Holy beings if they got the chance. Killing an angel, per example, would be rewarded with wealth and fame.

Which would seem like something Osomatsu was interested in, but _man,_ it just wasn't worth the exhaustion. It was something people thought of him – _Osomatsu, the son of Tougou? Ah, he's a top notch devil. Has all the right traits. He_ loves _going up there, right for the kill! Ah, but … spared his enthusiasm… He's kind of bad at his job, isn't he?_

No. Or, well, yes. He was bad at his job because he didn't like to be obliged to do stuff, especially when there wasn't even a specific reason for it. Devils just spread havoc and malice, because that's what they were created to do. Nobody really questioned it. And Osomatsu didn't really question it either, but it was just so _very_ tiresome. So yeah, he was bad at his job. But that didn't mean he was weak. He hoped he could convince people of that, but that would mean he'd have to come up with a new excuse as to why he kept coming back to Hell empty-handed, without a human soul or a lifeless, winged body. He'd rather not, because he liked accepting missions, because he _liked_ the Surface. He liked messing around with humans. Not necessarily in a way that was fun for all parties. But what was important was that _he_ was having fun, right?

"..somatsu? Osomatsu?"

Osomatsu blinked lazily, slowly toning his thoughts out and getting back to the real world. "Huh?"

Tougou was giving him a stare worthy of Lucifer himself, which was probably why these people in this church was following his every word in the first place, and Osomatsu felt a sinking feeling in his gut. His father sighed, and let his eyes scan the crowd that Osomatsu only now realized had started exiting the church. The meeting was over. "Come to my office, if you please." he said, as if it wasn't an order. He turned on his heal and walked over to the rusty door behind the altar.

As he swung the door shut, Osomatsu turned to watch the last people walk out the door. He knew this routine – He'd see that the church was properly emptied, and then he'd go to Tougou and receive a mission. He had to admire his father's dedication of making him a proper devil, even after his countless failed attempts. Maybe he saw the potential Osomatsu had so probably hidden away.

When the big entrance door shut out the last of the crowd, he wobbled over to Tougou's office, hands deep in the pockets of his pants. His tail twitched impatiently behind him, but he let it: his longing for getting this over with might be mistaken as eagerness to try and go to brutally murder some angels or some shit. He opened the door.

"Father?" he said, peeking inside the office.

"Osomatsu." Tougou was standing with his back turned. His hands was clasped behind his back, his eyes looking through the windows into the red haze outside. A scenery Osomatsu was starting to grow awfully tired of. "The big day is close."

Osomatsu raised an eyebrow, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. "The big day?" he echoed, as if he was actually interested.

Tougou turned, looking as smug as ever. "The day I'll finally take over the throne."

"Ah." Osomatsu nodded slowly, killing the snort sneaking its way through his nose. "How long are we talking about, exactly?"

Tougou straightened his back, giving a bark that was probably supposed to be laughter. "It has been many years, I know!" he said, which didn't answer Osomatsu's question. "Many years of hard work, sneaking around under His Highness' unknowing nose … It's about time that old geezer retired. But now the time has come. The people have grown restless enough – His Highness' is holding his yearly banquet in the palace today. It's the perfect time for a revolution, don't you think?"

Osomatsu straightened his back as well. Today? He was planning on starting a revolution _today?_ Maybe he had underestimated his old man. His plan laid closer to reality than he'd thought. And just now he'd deemed it unrealistic. _Shit._ This was never going to work. Tougou would be arrested and probably executed, and Osomatsu, being his son… "U- Uh… _Sure_." he managed, trying to swallow. "You have the plans all … planned out, no?"

"What do you think of me, boy?" Tougou said, stepping closer to him to put a hand on his shoulder, while still maintaining quite a distance between them. "Of course! Everything will go smoothly. You'll have to get ready."

"Ready for… for like a war?"

"Like none other!"

Osomatsu forced a smile. "Nice." he said hoarsely, before clearing his throat. _Sure, old man. You get ready for that war while I'll get the hell away from here. Or, while I get away from Hell, at least._

Tougou would get himself killed. Osomatsu wanted no part of it. He'd come back when all of that was over.

How apathetic, you say, thinking of your father like that? Well. He was a devil, after all. His father and him had never had a loving relationship. He was more like a boss he didn't have the power to escape from. He just had to live with it.

On second thought, maybe this was his way out. He'd be away while chaos ensued, before coming back like "What? My father did _what?_ Oh, the scoundrel! He got what he deserved!" Hah. It was perfect.

"Then I should definitely get a mission to get ready for this war!" he proposed, crossing his arms all confidently. "Do you have anything for me, father?"

Tougou patted his shoulder. "That's my boy." he said, as if Osomatsu was a dog that responded correctly to a command. No, never mind – A dog would probably be treated better than him. Tougou held out a stone – A Teleportation Gem – and he quickly took it from him. It would take him to wherever the mission was if he smashed it on the ground. "There's rumors of a strange aura coming from the forest. I believe it is an angel of some sort, maybe trapped since it hasn't moved in what must be a while, which will make it easier for you. Kill it, and bring its body here."

Osomatsu looked up from the stone at Tougou. "But if you're starting a revolution, will we even get a reward for bringing the body? What's the point of th-" He yelped when his shoulder was painfully squeezed in Tougou's grip.

"Are you questioning me?" he asked, voice as smooth as driving a sword through someone's gut.

Unable to find his voice, Osomatsu shook his head quickly. His grip loosened. "Good." His smile was disgustingly sweet. "Now go."

"Yes, sir." Osomatsu muttered, and turned to leave.

"Osomatsu."

He paused with his hand on the door handle. "Yes, father?"

"Don't disappoint me again."

Osomatsu swallowed heavily, and opened the door. "G- Got it." he managed, before walking out and slamming the door shut.

The Gem was crushed on the ground without waiting a second longer, and he was whisked away to the Surface.

Blowing out the last of the candles, Karamatsu took one last look at the cross on the wall, it being the only source of light in the church right now. He made a cross over his chest, and mumbled a short prayer before turning and walking towards the exit. Or that was at least what he was planning to do, but instead he was met with the eyes of a certain familiar face. He yelped loudly, his heart threatening to leap out through his throat. "Ichimatsu! You scared me." he said, pressing a hand to his chest.

"Ah." the so-called nun answered. He didn't act much like a nun, but Karamatsu wasn't in the position of questioning it. He wasn't even apologizing for sneaking up on him. Ah, but he probably didn't do it on purpose. Karamatsu mentally scolded himself for thinking that Ichimatsu consciously would do such a thing.

"Is there anything you need, brother?" Karamatsu asked.

Ichimatsu gritted his teeth at the nickname, but Karamatsu paid no mind. "I was, uh …" he started, but was obviously at a loss of words. "I was … wondering if…"

"You can sleep in the church again, that's fine." Karamatsu said, patting his shoulder.

Ichimatsu answered him with a slight nod, without thanking him, before walking past him towards the room he'd lived in the past few weeks. The man had showed up for the first time by the gates of the church nearly three months ago now, all dressed up in a black and white habit: the uniform of a nun. Back then he'd only showed up once in a while, mostly just standing outside looking up at the tower with this sort of… wistful look on his face. After a while, Karamatsu had approached him and asked if he wanted to come inside – In which the man had shot him a dirty look before darting off. But he'd kept coming back, and after a few failed attempts, Karamatsu had managed to successfully invite him inside. They'd talked, though Ichimatsu was reluctant about it, and he'd figured out that the man was homeless. Beyond that, Ichimatsu was a mystery. But it didn't matter. He'd told him he was devoted to God, and Karamatsu's arms were always open for someone in need. He'd offered him a bed in the basement of the church – an offer which had brought a rare smile to Ichimatsu's face.

After that he'd started taking care of the church, and Karamatsu would often find him sitting on one of the benches, looking at the bright cross on the wall with a weird look in his eyes. Sometimes it was longing, sometimes it was confused, and sometimes he looked like Jesus had just personally offended him. Karamatsu didn't understand him, but it didn't matter. He was good company, despite being a little … intense, at times.

"I'll be leaving. If you need anything, you know where I live." he called as he opened the doors. He didn't get a reply, but he was well aware that Ichimatsu had heard him. With that, he walked outside, and locked the doors behind him.

The night was cold and slightly windy, but in return, the skies were clear. Near the coast, which was where he lived and worked as a priest, there was very little light pollution, so the stars shone brightly, scattered across the night sky as if watching over them. Karamatsu gave a content sigh, before walking across the yard towards the gates. When he turned to lock them as well, he let his eyes wander over the building that was his beloved church.

His parents had both been preachers – They'd traveled across the country, sharing the glad tidings with anyone who wanted to listen. They'd attended ceremonies, experienced miracles, and brought all kinds of happiness to the people around them. That was what Karamatsu aspired to be – But even more importantly, there was another thing his parents had been before they passed: exorcists.

According to his parents, demons lived amongst humans. Unseen and hidden they caused havoc and pain; and it was their mission to stop them, using the Will of God. Growing up with that had made Karamatsu quite superstitious, but it had inspired him to make his parents' life work live on. Though… He'd recently turned twenty one, and he'd yet to actually experience a possession of a demon. It wasn't like he doubted his belief, but … It made it a little harder for him to take his exorcism studies seriously enough.

Ah, what an unnecessary train of thought. When the demons showed themselves, he, with his magnificent exorcism skills, would be ready. He would use God's Will to drag them back to Hell where they belonged, and it would go smoother than smooth jazz.

With a contempt nod, and a short chuckle, he turned to walk down the sidewalk, towards his home for a good night sleep.

The Gem brought Osomatsu to a small town in the middle of the night. He couldn't remember being here before, but then he did prefer bigger cities, where there were more people to play with. Although this city seemed just about what he needed right now: calm and quiet.

He walked along a narrow road, scanning the houses he passed in a weak attempt at finding whatever creature Tougou had talked about.

 _Tougou._

He shook his head. His father was a mad man. His shoulder still ached from how he'd gripped him earlier, and he could still hear his ice cold voice in his head.

 _Don't disappoint me again._

Sure thing, _dad._

He grumbled something highly disrespectful about Tougous mother under his breath (not paying any mind that that would also mean his own grandmother, but devils weren't the types to care for members beyond their immediate family anyway), as he exited the street and found himself on a larger road, which he assumed was the main road, in a small town like this.

He'd said the creature held residence in the forest, but … Osomatsu could just excuse himself and say he forgot about that part, or didn't pick up on that part. Either way, it wasn't like he'd have any Tougou to excuse himself to. His stupid revolution would be brought down before it even had the chance to start. It wasn't the first time someone had tried to overthrow Lucifer, but he wasn't the king of Hell for nothing.

However, with nothing else to do, he supposed he could at least try to find the being, but he would do so in his own pace.

It was dark, the stars were bright, but a faint light in the horizon told him the sun was about to rise. People would start waking up soon, making the town a little more cheerful than it was right now, hopefully. He thought it might be wise to not walk among more people than necessary, because in a small town like this, there was a higher chance of coming across someone religious. Religious people were easier to possess, but simultaneously it was easier for them to recognize something _evil_ about demons or devils in disguise. Which was only a problem for him, since he wasn't planning on possessing anyone.

He supposed he could go out and search in the woods when he sighted the earliest risers of the citizens. In the meantime, he could take a stroll around this place, even if he was pretty sure there was nothing particularly exciting to look at here. He walked along the main road, spying through the windows as much as he could. Humans were interesting to him, partly because they were basically mortal versions of demons under the influence of God (although the Heavens might think it was the other way around), but also simply because their society was so different from his own home. They were born without a destiny, without a purpose – How freeing mustn't that be? To be able to do whatever they wanted. It seemed wonderful.

He rounded a corner and found himself in a cozy little town square. He could count a total of five different cafés and coffee shops around the square, a few clothing stores and a grocery store, and an antiques shop. The latter made him smile wryly: Antiques shops were a common way for demons to make their ways into the houses of humans. They'd attach themselves to a nice object, and every time the object made it to a new home, a new owner, they'd play the possession game all over again. Some demons did it to quench their thirst for souls, while others did it for fun. Making people's lives a real life horror movie sure was a nice source of entertainment.

He decided to sit down outside one of the cafés to relax for a bit. After the meeting in which his feet felt like they were dying, he still hadn't gotten a chance to sit down. He propped his legs on a table and leaned as far back in the chair as he possible could, stretching his arms above his head. He grazed the horns on his head, and it wasn't before then that he remember to put on a disguise to hide those and his pointed tail. _Man,_ that was careless of him. He chuckled lightly to himself.

Though this position wasn't the most comfortable, he still felt his eyes sting a little as he stared up on the night sky above him. Devils didn't actually _need_ sleep, but it was nice to take nap once in a while. Before giving it a second thought, he dropped his head backwards, and let sleep take him wherever it wanted him to go.

He woke when he heard approaching footsteps and a raspy voice that called "Hey, you!"

He blinked one eye open, giving the one who disturbed his nap a dirty look. It was a plump man, and he was walking towards him with a scowl on his face.

"What do you think you're doing? Sunbathing? You're a little too early for that, son." he barked. "Either way you're not doing it in _my_ café."

Osomatsu guessed that was his queue to go looking for that angel, but this guy was ticking him off. Sure, maybe taking a nap in a closed café was illegal, but he didn't have to be _rude_ about it.

"Are you deaf, son?" the man demanded.

Osomatsu groaned, stretched, and sat up properly in his seat. His neck was aching. Falling asleep in that position was probably not a good idea. "I'm not." he answered, raising an eyebrow.

The man stopped in front of him, crossing his arms. "Are you drunk?"

"Oh man, I wish."

"Get away from my café then!"

"Are you saying that if I _was_ drunk I could stay?"

"Listen- If you don't go I'll call the police."

"Oh _no,_ the police _. Whatever_ should I _do._ "

The man gritted his teeth, and let his arms fall down to his sides where he clenched his hands into fists. "You damned brat-"

Osomatsu abruptly stood up, and the man faltered. "Hey, I'm damned brat, but you can also call me Os…" He hesitated for a second. Giving up his real name might not be a good idea. "…wald." He held out his hand.

The man gave him a bewildered, irritated look, but the thing with humans is that many of them can't respond do even the slightest courtesy without giving the same amount of it back, no matter the situation. Hesitantly, he held out his hand as well. "I'm-"

Osomatsu took it before he could finish, and the man yelped. "Oh sorry, I couldn't hear you." he grinned, cocking his head to the side. "What's your name?" He squeezed harder. The man wailed and fell to his knees. "Ah. Well it was nice meeting you, _Waaaaaah!_ But I'll be off now. See ya later."

Then he let go and strolled off, whistling a happy tune as he went. That was fun.

There would be consequences, probably.

Oh well.

It was time for business now anyway. The first awake human had been spotted, and now he had to find that damn angel. How long had he slept anyway? The sky had turned a pale blue, and there'd formed clouds, bathing in the light of the morning sun. It was a nice scenery. He supposed he'd dozed off for a couple of hours. Not bad.

He stopped in the middle of the street, and closed his eyes. If he concentrated, he would notice the angelic aura from somewhere. Because that was simply how good he was at this. Shame nobody could know. He had to keep is reputation as a devil bad at his job, to hide his true identity as a lazy ass bastard. Surely enough, he felt the icy feeling of a heavenly being coming from his left. He let that feeling guide him to wherever that forest was.

After about half an hour, he'd reached the forest and was walking among the trees with his eyes partly closed to focus better on the aura coming from the being. He'd paused at the coast, because he thought the ocean was kind of nice to look at, and wrote behind his ear that he would have to go there again before he returned to Hell. It would be a nice reward after he was done with all this rock climbing. He hoped the being was at the top of this mountain, and not on the other side of it, so that he wouldn't have to climb up and down two times.

But of course this just wasn't his lucky day. When he reached the top of the hill, he spotted a lake in the bottom of the valley. There was no doubt that that was where he was going. But how could an angel be trapped in a lake? Groaning loudly, he starting climbing down again, and he'd almost reached the bottom without falling when his balance decided to betray him. He fell on his face, and then he was at the bottom.

"This damn angel better be worth it." he grumbled, and half-heartedly wiped the dirt off his knees. Maybe wearing a suit wasn't the best idea for this trip. He marched over to the lake, looking at it like it had personally offended him. "Ah… Hello? Is there anyone here?" he asked loudly.

No answer.

He gritted his teeth. "Hellooo. Is there an angel in there, or…? Is this like a wish lake or something? Do I have to throw a coin in?" He crossed his arms. "Sorry, I don't have any money. Oh, I know! I wish for money."

Still no answer.

He clicked his tongue. "Okay. Have it your way." He sat down on the damp ground covered in orange leaves. "I have all the time in the world."

And then he began working on the most difficult task he'd ever come across: Having a conversation with a nonresponsive lake. After a few long minutes of him talking about everything and nothing, mostly complaining, he tried singing. He wasn't exactly known for his beautiful singing voice, but he wasn't trying now either. Maybe he could _annoy_ this angel out of the lake.

To no avail.

After a couple of excruciating hours, he progressively starting losing his temper. "Okay, listen here, you dirty ass piece of shit lake-creature, I need you to come out right now or less I _promise you_ I will take a shit in there!" he warned. "And let me tell you, I haven't done that in _literal_ ages, so you can just imagine how that's gonna be! Do you hear me?"

No answer.

Osomatsu gave a loud growl, picking up a stone and throwing it indignantly into the water. It splashed back, and a few drops landed on his hand. He yelped as it etched into his skin. Holy water. Okay, then.

"Are you done?" a voice asked.

His head snapped up. In front of him, hovering above the water, was a man clad in white. On his back he had a pair of pure white feathered wings, and there was a light above his head which Osomatsu guessed was his halo. His hair was dark, and his face was startlingly similar to his own. He quickly hid his wounded hands behind his back.

"Man, I was starting to lose hope." he said, a grin slowly making its way to his face. "I was wondering…" He trailed off, looking for some kind of enchanted shackles or something that would show that this being was trapped here like Tougou had guessed, but he couldn't see anything. It looked like the angel, or whatever this guy was, could very much walk away from this lake whenever he wanted. "Huh. Weird."

"What do you want, demon?" the being demanded.

 _Demon?_ How did he know what he was? He'd hid away his horns and tail – Simple angels couldn't see through that disguise. Yet this guy… "What are you talking about?" he asked innocently.

The being scoffed, crossing his arms. "Don't play with me. Your disguise is powerful, but sloppy. I can see your tail and horns." he said, raising an eyebrow as if deciding what rating he would give his magic. Six out of ten, but maybe seven for effort, probably. No, the way the guy was looking at him clearly said a five out of ten, maybe even four. In fact, the longer Osomatsu stayed quiet, the lower the number sank.

"Alright!" he said, crossing his arms and mimicking the being's pose. "You got me. What I'm wondering, though, is why other angels haven't been able to see through the disguise, but you can. Why is that?"

"That's really none of your business, is it?"

"Oh, get down from your high pedestal, would you? It's just a question." Osomatsu snapped back.

"What's your business here, demon?" the being asked, completely ignoring his question. "Have you come to kill me?"

Osomatsu tilted his head to the side. "If you answer my question, I'll answer yours." he offered, giving the man a lopsided smile.

The being hummed thoughtfully, and if Osomatsu wasn't seeing things, he thought a smile was playing in the corners of his lips. A sarcastic one, but a smile nevertheless. "Are you offering me a deal?" he asked, clearly aware that making a deal with a demon was not something that most would recommend.

Osomatsu made a ticking sound, before leaning his head back, giving a hearty laugh. "Maybe I am." he answered. "No catches. This time." He crossed his heart, giving the being a challenging look.

The man narrowed his eyes in a scowl, but then gave a short chuckle. "Fine. This time." he said, echoing Osomatsu's words. "I'm not an angel. I'm a _megami_."

The words took a couple of seconds to sink in, before Osomatsu's mouth turned into an O and he gave a whistle. "My old man was so wrong." he commented quietly. A goddess. No wonder why he could see through his disguise. This guy was much stronger than he'd anticipated.

"Your turn, demon." the goddess demanded. "Did you come here to kill me?"

"It really depends who you're asking." he replied, sending him a sly grin.

"A proper answer, please. I'm asking _you_."

"Sorry, only one answer per-"

" _Demon_!"

"Kidding! Kidding." He gave a cackle. This guy was surprisingly amusing. "Well, uh … I was _sent_ here to kill you."

He didn't even get to finish the sentence before the goddess had backed up and was in the motion of diving back into the lake. He reacted without thinking, and took a step towards him.

"Wait!" he started, but then gave a wounded shout as he stepped right into the water. He quickly scrambled away again, clutching his ankle as he hissed in pain, sputtering out his whole arsenal of swear words.

"Watch your language."

Osomatsu peeked back at the goddess behind furrowed brows while desperately pulling his shoe off. "Go to Hell."

The goddess raised his eyebrows. "Really?" He scoffed. "Well, that's where you were planning on taking me anyway, wasn't it?"

Osomatsu shot him an angry stare. "I said I was _sent_ here to kill you." he said. "Doesn't mean I was actually gonna do it." He examined his foot, and wrinkled his nose. The skin was all messed up, but it had stop etching now at least. He groaned. "Damn holy water, always takes so fucking long to heal…" he grumbled quietly.

When he couldn't hear anything more from the _megami_ , he looked back up at him to see that he had moved slightly closer. However, upon eye contact, he seemed to hesitate. Osomatsu rolled his eyes. "Look, I'm not gonna kill you. I'm not interested in any of that." he said, looking back to his foot.

"Does that hurt?" the goddess asked.

He scoffed. "Feels like a warm summer day." he snarked. "A really, really warm summer day."

A few moments of silence passed.

"I can…" the goddess started. "I can help you with that. If you want."

Osomatsu looked up suspiciously. "What?" He narrowed his eyes. "Are you playing a trick on me?"

"You're the trickster here, not me."

"Heh. Fair enough." Osomatsu studied the other for a few moments. He didn't have any reason to trust the guy, and maybe it was simply because he'd grown naïve after so many years of not killing the angels he'd been sent after, but he found it hard not to. His eyes looked earnest and pure, even when he was scowling slightly. The goddess was trustworthy. But then again, angels and goddesses and all heavenly beings were known for keeping their words. "Alright. I trust you."

The words seemed to catch the goddess a bit off guard, his eyes widening just a fraction, but he quickly collected himself. "Just hover your foot above the water."

" _So you can pull me in_?" Osomatsu shrieked. " _No way!_ "

" _No, stupid!_ " the goddess sputtered back. "You say you trust me, so just do what I say."

The two stared at each other for several moments, before Osomatsu reluctantly made his way over to the lake. He stretched his foot out, though sitting as far away as possible. The goddess rolled his eyes, but reached out as if to take the foot. Osomatsu jerked it back. "I'm not going to touch it." the goddess assured him, his arms extended as if he wanted to stretch further towards Osomatsu, but simply couldn't. Osomatsu narrowed his eyes thoughtfully, but stretched out his leg again. The goddess put his hands closely around his foot, but never close enough to actually touch him. He watched as a light started to shine from his palms, and he felt a comfortable warmth wherever the light reached. He could see how the wounds started closing, getting smaller and smaller, until the skin was as good as new.

Osomatsu hadn't noticed that his jaw had fallen open, something the goddess apparently found amusing. "It's all good now." he said kindly, and Osomatsu quickly withdrew the leg, eager to examine his foot.

"Woah." he breathed, looking back up at the goddess with wide eyes. Then a grin spread across his face. "You're not bad!" he decided.

The goddess spluttered. "Is that supposed to be a compliment?" he argued, while a stubborn flush spread across his cheeks.

"What's your name?"

He blinked. "My name?" he asked, clearly taken aback. "Names have power, you know."

"I'm Osomatsu!" Osomatsu grinned mischievously, as if he'd just played some genius trick on the goddess. His tail twitched excitedly. "And you are?"

"I – I can't just tell you that."

"Why not?"

"You know why!"

"But, dude, I told you mine, so it's only fair."

" _What kind of logic is that_?"

Osomatsu groaned. "What's the big deal? It's not like I'm gonna use it against you or anything. Besides, if I used your name against you, then you'd still know my name, so you basically have blackmail on me right now." he argued, crossing his arms.

"How do I know it's your real name?" the goddess challenged.

He pursed his lips. "Good question…"

The other rolled his eyes.

"But my name _is_ Osomatsu. If you don't want to tell me your name yet then that's fine, for now." He gave a lopsided smile, before it faltered slightly. "But uh… I would appreciate it if you didn't use this new knowledge to like… send some angry angels after me or something. I'd like to keep on living, to be honest." He laughed sheepishly and rubbed the underside of his nose.

The goddess looked conflicted. "You're weird." he announced.

"By the way, are you trapped inside that pond or something?" Osomatsu asked. He still hadn't spotted any chains, and the goddess seemed to move freely, but never outside the pond.

The goddess, who had slowly lowered himself to the edge of the lake, finally sat down in the shallow water. He seemed reluctant to answer. "It's… complicated." he mumbled, not meeting his eyes.

Osomatsu tilted his head. "I'm not going anywhere today." he encouraged.

The goddess frowned. "About that," he said. "What are you doing here?"

Osomatsu blinked _. Oh, right_. "Uh…" He shrugged. "I guess… you're my mission, but on my missions I usually just walk around in the cities I visit without really accomplishing said mission, like ever. But this town is kind of …" He made a dissatisfied noise. "Boring. Usually I don't even bother finding the angel because it's just too much work, but I didn't have anything else to do, so I ended up here anyway."

"In that case, why are you still here?" The goddess didn't seem dismissive anymore, just curious.

He hesitated. His stupid father and his even stupider revolution. Time went slightly faster in Hell, so the banquet and the 'revolution' had probably already started at this point. He wondered if Tougou was dead already, or just taken prisoner. Either way, it wasn't safe for him to go back yet. He had to wait until the drama calmed down, so that he could go back and act innocent. But this wasn't something he should tell the goddess. "It's complicated." he retorted, raising an eyebrow at the other.

The goddess huffed. "Well played, demon."

"I'm not a demon."

He gave him a blank stare, and Osomatsu bit his lip. He probably shouldn't have said that. Oh well. "I'm a devil. They're stronger." He added that last part out of spite. Then at least this goddess would know what he was actually capable of. At least somewhat.

"A devil?" The goddess seemed to draw himself back subconsciously.

"What, you're suddenly scared of me now?" Osomatsu smirked, his tail flicking amusedly.

The goddess scoffed. "Of course not. Either way you can come near me when I'm in this la-" He interrupted himself with a surprised squawk when Osomatsu's tail suddenly wormed itself around his upper arm. For a second, he looked terrified, as if he simply couldn't believe himself for trusting a _devil –_ But then he probably took notice of the way Osomatsu was struggling to hold back his laughter.

"You- You stupid-"

"Woah, careful with the language, goddess."

"Shut up! Get your tail off before I cut it off!"

Osomatsu sucked in air through his teeth, shuddering violently as he retracted his tail. "Oh, don't make me think about that, please." he said. "Wouldn't that be like … getting your wings cut off or something?"

The look he then got from the goddess surprised him, to say the least. A series of emotion flashed across his face, shock, fear, suspicion, disgust, before settling in his signature scowl, which Osomatsu had grown to like at his point. "Don't." he simply said.

"But-"

"No."

Osomatsu raised his eyebrows and looked away. "O- _kay._ " he said, shrugging. "You started it."

"You're such a child."

"Is not."

"Is too."

Then there was silence between them. Of course, Osomatsu was the one to pipe up first.

"Hey. Why can't you tell me why you're in that lake?" he asked.

The goddess gave him a small look, before averting his eyes again. "We shouldn't know each other's weaknesses." he said simply.

Osomatsu tilted his head. "Does that mean you're trapped in there?"

"Not… Not really, no."

Intrigued by the man's mysteriousness, he shuffled just a tiny but closer, cautious of not getting too close to the water.

"Careful, now," the goddess said. "You'll get wet."

"Aw, you _do_ care." he retorted, getting a well-earned scowl from the other. He flashed his teeth in another entertained grin. "Anyways, listen – I'm an okay guy. You can trust me." He altered his grin in a way he hoped was friendly. Judging by the goddess expression, it didn't quite make the cut. He sighed. "But I'm serious. Why are you here? Doesn't it get lonely?"

"I actually haven't spoken to anyone for…" the goddess trailed off, narrowing his eyes as if suddenly hearing a strange noise. "…about seventeen years I think."

Osomatsu whistled. "That's a long time even if you're immortal." he commented.

"It's alright though. I like the quiet. I was taking a great nap when you threw that rock on me."

"Oh, speaking of _which_ , I was also interrupted in the middle of a nap just earlier today, so I-" He stopped himself, remember that he'd broken somebody's hand and that was probably not a part of the Heavenly etiquette. Better not mention it. "Um, it hit you? I'm sorry, I didn't mean that." He snickered.

The goddess hummed in contemplation. "How about you tell me your complicated story, and then I'll tell you mine." he proposed, mimicking Osomatsu's request from earlier.

"Another deal with a devil, goddess?" Osomatsu smiled, and weighed his options. Well, he didn't have to tell him _everything._ "Fine. You start."

The goddess sat down sideways on his knees, leaning his bodyweight against one arm. "Uh, I sort of was assigned this lake when I was created. It's my home, and my duty to protect it. I'm connected to it, and I could never defy duty. I've never been outside this lake – physically at least. I can project myself to different places, but…" He shrugged. "That's it, really. Your turn."

Osomatsu frowned thoughtfully. "Sounds bo-o-oring to me." he said. "But whatever makes you happy, I guess." Now, to the hard part. "Well… The reason I'm still here is because…" He couldn't tell him the part where his father is trying to overthrow Lucifer, because that would be a fault in the perfect system and defenses of Hell. No, he had to leave that part out. Maybe make it personal – the Heavens did have a strong sense of pity, didn't they? "Um, my father and I, we're… He's kind of, uh … We have some problems, and I'm sort of. Running away." He paused. "For a little while at least." All of that was true. He hadn't lied.

He looked to the goddess, who looked back at him with wide eyes. Even though he'd expected the pity, it still made him go red at the ears, and he looked away. "It's nothing, don't worry about it." he added lamely.

"I didn't know … that it was like that. Down there." the goddess mumbled.

"Yeah, there's a lot of things we don't know about each other." Osomatsu agreed. "Like your name, for instance."

The goddess shot him a glare, before he looked away timidly. "It's… Choromatsu."

Osomatsu perked up. "Choromatsu?" he echoed.

"Yeah."

Suddenly he felt butterflies in his stomach, and a grin spread across his face. Before thinking of the consequences, he'd tried to lean over the water to catch _Choromatsu_ around his shoulders, but quickly realized that the distance was just a little too far for that. With a yell, he thought he was going to fall face first into the water, but Choromatsu reacted fast enough to catch him before disaster ensued. The goddess flung himself forward, catching Osomatsu in some sort of weird hug, before violently pushing him back on dry land.

" _Christ_ , you're way too reckless for your own good." he chided. Osomatsu felt a small sting in his chest when the _C-word_ was mentioned, but since it wasn't used at a weapon against him right now it wasn't so bad. Still made him squirm a little, though he tried to laugh it off.

"I get that a lot." he said, putting a hand where the slight pain had been. "Also, it would be cool if you could, like, not say that name. Your man and I aren't exactly on good terms, so."

Choromatsu blinked at him, before huffing a laugh. "Right. Sorry. I haven't met a lot of demons."

" _Devil._ "

"It's almost the same, isn't it?"

"Yeah, like angel and goddess are the same, right?"

"That's different…"

When Osomatsu finally decided it was time to go back, the sun was setting on the horizon, and he realized the two of them had been talking for many, many hours.

After such a long time on the Surface, time would've passed plenty down in Hell. Knowing from past experiences of people trying to take over the trone, his father would have been taken care of now.

At least that's what he was a hundred percent sure of, until he materialized right outside his father's church, and he was met with absolute havoc. Well, more havoc than it usually was down there.

All around the church there was crowds of demons and devils swirling, while yelling triumphantly and clapping and cheering – He could see several people doing small dances, bringing their fists in the air, screaming about whatever they were so happy about. Osomatsu didn't want to find out what they were so happy about, but he had a bad feeling.

He stumbled away from the crowd and into the church, closing the door behind him with a violent thud. He looked around, but it seemed the hall was mostly empty, except for a few figures sitting here and there, talking quietly among themselves.

He swallowed.

"Excuse me." he called to one of the demons sitting nearby. They looked up at him with a stinky eye, but quickly changed their demeanor when they saw who he was.

"Osoma-"

"What has happened down here?" he asked before the stranger could continue.

The demon blinked, before his black eyes sparkled, as if he was happy that _he_ got to be the lucky one to tell Osomatsu the good news first. "Haven't you been paying attention, sir?" he said, grinning widely.

"I've- I've been away." Osomatsu replied, shoving his hands in his pockets to refrain from fidgeting. It annoyed him that the man didn't just answer his question right away.

The man gave a quiet, but hearty laugh. "Your father's plan was impeccable, of course." he said. "The Royal defense never saw it coming."

Osomatsu gritted his teeth, and in a swift moment he had grabbed the man's collar and sneered right into his face. " _Just tell what's going on, you low-life vermin_." he spat, his impatience getting the best of him.

The stranger gave a strangled cry and stared back at him with wide eyes, the happiness in them whisked out like a candle light.

"L- Lucifer has been defeated." he whimpered. "Tougou has conquered the throne."


	2. Chapter 2

Fuck.

 _Fuck_.

This was the exact reason for why Osomatsu never made plans in the first place: Nothing went according to them, ever. He hadn't expected that his father was _this_ strong. He hadn't expected that he'd actually…

His vision blurred at the sides. The church around him seemed unreal, even as he still held the stranger tightly by his collar. It took him a few moments to react properly to what he had said, in which he threw the man violently back to onto the bench. He stumbled inelegantly as the bench tilted backwards and he fell with it.

Osomatsu paid no mind. His heart hammered as he strode towards Tougou's office. Surely he wasn't there right now. He had to get a hold of those Teleportation Gems to get a quick way out of there. He'd been an idiot. Why had he just _expected_ that Tougou would fail? Of course, it had been the most realistic outcome, but he hadn't even taken into account that there was a chance for this to happen.

His father wasn't dead, but Osomatsu sure would be if he stayed here any longer.

He pushed the door open and went straight to the desk. He pulled the drawers out, searching desperately through them all before moving onto the closet in the corner, and went on like that until he in the end found the stones in a chest in the last drawer of a commode. Shaking, he picked them up, bringing them closely against his lips, whispering the incantation rapidly – and then he got to the part where he had to say where he wanted to go.

Where could he go? He couldn't do this alone. He needed help.

The name was out of his mouth before he had the time to think twice about it. " _Choromatsu_."

Just then, he heard approaching footsteps. He slammed the drawer shut, stuffing the stones into his pocket. He stumbled away from the commode just as the door opened, revealing none other than his father behind it.

Osomatsu willed his breath to even out, putting on his best poker face. "Father." he said. "I was coming to see you."

"Osomatsu." Tougou walked towards him, a smile etching itself across his face. "You're back. How did it go?"

His blood froze. Right. Choromatsu. "U- Um…" he started, looking at the ground when Tougou's eyes narrowed dangerously. "You- You see… You said it was an angel, but it wasn't. It was a goddess." He forced himself to look back up at his father. "A- And since I was prepared for a normal angel, he was just… too strong."

"As if you've ever taken down a simple angel." Tougou's voice was pure acid, and Osomatsu swallowed. "How many chances do I have to give you, Osomatsu? You useless, insignificant moron."

Osomatsu looked away again, his face heating up, from both anger and embarrassment.

"Come." Tougou then said, taking a harsh grip around Osomatsu's upper arm. He pulled him forcefully with him, out of the office and through the hall. He stumbled after, trying to match his father's long strides. "You've heard the news, surely? If not you really _are_ daft."

"I am aware." Osomatsu mumbled.

"I'm taking you to the capital."

Osomatsu frowned. "What happened to the war?" he asked.

Tougou grinned maliciously. "Do you wish to fight, boy? You wouldn't last a second out there, as you've proven countless of times already," he snarled. "No, I'm taking you the crowning ceremony. Better do it now while the protestors are busy."

His father picked a Gem from the pocket inside of his jacket, and smashed it to the ground. Smoke surrounded them, and the next thing Osomatsu saw was a gigantic, gold covered hall. There was nothing in there except a mighty throne standing on a podium in the end of the room. There was a red carpet stretching across the floor, ending right before the stairs that led up to the throne. The roof was so high above them, Osomatsu was sure it could fit at least five stories in there. Beside the throne stood a tall, skinny man clad in a black suit, holding a pillow with an object resting on it – An object Osomatsu had only before seen in pictures. Lucifer's scepter.

There was no one in the room except the two of them and the black clad man. Osomatsu felt nauseous.

"Why do I have to be here?" he asked quietly. He looked up at Tougou, but didn't expect him to be staring back at him with such an intense light in his eyes. Automatically, he tugged his arm back, and Tougou surprisingly let go.

"Osomatsu." his father droned. "Do you think I'm stupid?"

Osomatsu blinked, the question catching him off guard. "What? No." he stammered.

"Then why do you think I don't know of your thoughts about the Surface? How you long for it? You've never been interested in my ambition to take control of it, because you don't want it to change."

 _Fuck._

He clenched his fists to stop them from shaking. "You're wrong."

The words were barely out of his mouth when Tougou struck him across his cheek, sending Osomatsu stumbling to the side. His vision blackened, and he struggled to find back his balance.

"Don't talk back to me!" Tougou snarled.

Osomatsu had to take a moment to will back the tears threatening to spill. It wasn't like he hadn't taken a punch before, but even if Tougou was a terrible father figure, it was still different when he did it. He felt helpless, even scared. "I'm sorry…sir." he breathed, unable to raise his voice.

"Your childish dreams about being able to live on the Surface should've been stilled years ago. Don't you think I know how you avoid killing the angels I send you after?" Tougou threw out his arms. "A puny angel is _no_ match for a devil like you; you just don't even _bother_ because it's not in your interest. You're a _disgrace._ "

His words echoed in the vast hall until there was only silence.

His next words turned his blood to ice.

"And the King of Hell won't have any of that. How embarrassing wouldn't that be?"

Osomatsu looked up, alarms ringing in his ears. He didn't like his father's tone – This one was more dangerous than the ones before. It was calm, degrading, full of disgust, as if Osomatsu was merely an insect he wanted to step on.

"Suspicion of betrayal," he continued. "Punishable by imprisonment. It would be scandalous if word got out that the king's son might be a traitor, so I'll have to get this over with before I take the throne."

Osomatsu froze. "What are you saying?" he asked, hoping that his voice would come out unwavering, but the fear shone through it like a flashlight.

"My dear son," Tougou said, taking a step towards him. Osomatsu backed away. "You're going to the Fields of Punishment."

It didn't take more than that to make Osomatsu bolt to the nearest exit- But just then, two guards entered, blocking his only way out. He swirled back to his father, stumbling away from him as the soon-to-be king of Hell slowly made his way towards him. "You can't do this – I haven't done anything!" he protested, although that was a lie.

"Don't try to fight me, Osomatsu. Do as I say." Tougou said, ignoring his pleas.

Osomatsu gritted his teeth. "Fuck you!" he spat, before he could stop himself. Tougou's eyes flashed red, immediately sliding into the more demonic, monstrous part of him. Black veins surfaced across his skin, his teeth growing into hideous, pointed ivories, and his hands curled into claws. Osomatsu drew back, crouching down into a guarded pose just as Tougou flung himself at him with a shrill battle cry.

Osomatsu jumped away, rolling sideways before landing on his feet again.

Alright, then. It was about time he revealed just how _good_ at being a devil he could actually be. He spun around, shoving his elbow to Tougou's side, but it was easily blocked. As he retreated, Tougou slashed Osomatsu's skin open, leaving a deep scratch mark over his shoulder. Osomatsu cried out in pain, but managed to block the next attack coming. He threw a punch straight into Tougou's jaw, but then Tougou wrapped his hands around his arm and twisted it, as if Osomatsu hadn't at all affected him. Again, Osomatsu was the one giving a strangled cry, kicking Tougou in the knees to free himself. His father grunted, before throwing another blow against his son's temple.

Osomatsu staggered backwards, stumbling over his own feet before he fell to the floor, scrambling away from Tougou while trying to blink the haze out of his eyes. The taste of cobber filled his mouth. Tougou threw himself on top of him, crabbing his arms in an attempt to stop his now desperate punches: Osomatsu had known he couldn't possibly win over Tougou in a physical fight, but he didn't have any other choice. Tougou forced Osomatsu's arms into a cross over his chest, before growling something under his breath. Suddenly, his whole upper body felt limp. His arms stayed in place where Tougou had put them, but it felt as if all the muscles in that part of his body had disappeared.

An immobilization-spell.

But he wasn't done fighting yet. With the last strength he got, he kicked up with his knees, sending Tougou sprawling to the side. He knew the winner of this fight had been decided, but he wasn't about to just give up. When Tougou tried grabbing him again, he tried kicking him in the face, but his father caught his leg, and used his other hand to pin the second one to the ground.

Just then, an emotion crossed Tougou's face, as if catching Osomatsu's foot had revealed the secrets of the universe. "You…" He said, turning his wild eyes to Osomatsu's. "I sense the magic of the Heavens on you." A grin spread across his face at Osomatsu's horrified expression. Tougou was gripping the foot Choromatsu had healed earlier. Fucking _damnit._

"Involvement with creatures of the Heavens," Tougou said, before snapping Osomatsu's shin right in the middle. His scream echoed against the walls. "Punishable by death."

With those words, he hoisted Osomatsu off the floor, but he had a last escape plan in mind. He hoped crushing several Teleportation Gems at once didn't have any bi-effects. With a strangled sob, he kicked violently, making Tougou lose his grip on him. Osomatsu made sure to land right on his thigh when he fell to the floor, crushing the gems in his pocket under his weight. Just as the smoke enveloped him, he could hear Tougou's furious " _No!_ "

Then he was gone.

He landed in a pile of garbage bags.

Though the smell wasn't so great, at least it was a soft landing. His throat closed itself, strangling his gasp as pain shot up through his leg. He gritted his teeth, and clenched his eyes shut as tears welled up in them.

Oh, he was deep in it now.

Carelessly, he hadn't even bothered covering Choromatsu's fingerprints, but then again, he hadn't gotten close enough to any angelic being to need it before. He cursed loudly.

Above him, the sky was blue and free of clouds – at least as far he could see from this alleyway. He had to get out of there. He had to get to Choromatsu, and- and what? Obviously Tougou's army was much bigger and powerful than he'd thought, it wasn't like Choromatsu could help him with any of that.

However, maybe he could get a word to the Heavens – Bust Tougou's plans so they'd defend the Surface from the demon army that _would_ come sooner or later. So, Choromatsu.

However, broken leg.

His leg hurt like hell, no pun intended, almost drowning out the pain he felt from the other wounds Tougou had inflicted upon him. His upper body still felt numb, but at least he could move now, with a little difficulty. He knew that if he didn't put it right, it would never properly heal, and he knew he was just procrastinating the pain he still had to endure. He stifled another groan as he sat up in the garbage pile, grimacing at the sight of his snapped shin.

It was just to get it over with. He reached for his leg; his arms shaking as his muscles slowly built themselves up again. Damn immobilizing spell. He tenderly pulled up his pants, wincing when he saw the sight underneath. He took a shaky breath as he wrapped his hands around each of the broken pieces, paused, and then clicked the bone back into place. He tried keeping his mouth shut, but a choked wail still made it across his lips.

Then he sat still, breathing in and out for a few moments. His healing factor would shoot in any moment, so he might as well start walking if he wanted to make it to Choromatsu in good time. With a deep sigh, he slowly got to his feet – well, mostly just foot. Leaning on the broken leg sent intense waves of pain through his whole body, but he'd just have to endure for now.

Damn his father's stupid ideology. This whole situation was such a pain in the ass.

He barely remembered disguising his demonic traits as he limped out of the alleyway, taking a look around. He could see the coast in the distance, and started making his way down there, trying his best to avoid any humans. Some of them were _way_ to kind for him to handle right now. Sure, in their eyes he looked like someone who needed a hospital, but that didn't make it less annoying. So on his trip down towards the coast, he'd had to dismiss at total of four strangers asking if he was okay, getting progressively more annoyed each time. The last one, a young man walking his dog, stopped to ask him if he was okay, but was interrupted when his dog went crazy upon seeing Osomatsu. The man had excused himself, stressing that "she doesn't normally act like this, I'm so sorry!" in which Osomatsu had sent him a strained smile and answered with "It's alright, I'm a devil, after all." The confused look on the man's face had quickly turned to fear when Osomatsu's face contorted into something hideous, and he'd scrambled off so hurriedly it was almost laughable. At least that made his day a little brighter.

He was nearly at the coast when his luck inevitably turned on him. From around a corner, a figure suddenly came running, and by the time they'd noticed Osomatsu, it was too late. They crashed right into each other, sending Osomatsu sprawling backwards.

"Oh, Christ, I'm so sorry, I didn't-"

"Oh, give me a _break_!" Osomatsu groaned, the _C-word_ feeling more like a poorly set syringe this time. He grimaced as his broken leg threatened to re-break, clasping his thigh until the pain numbed a little.

"Y- You're wounded." the stranger said, and Osomatsu sent him a scowl.

"Really? I didn't notice."

"You need medical attention! I'm so sorry about this, Mr-"

"Hey, hold on." Osomatsu frowned when he noticed what the man was wearing. It was a dark colored tunic, reaching him down to his ankles, and he wore a cross around his neck. "You're a priest."

The man looked beyond puzzled. He couldn't really blame him, giving that he looked like he'd just risen from the dead. "Uh, yes, I am." he answered after a few short moments.

Why didn't he notice that there was something off about Osomatsu? Religious people, the type that devoted their whole lives to their belief, often had the ability to sense when _evil_ was close by, but this guy didn't seem to pick up on that.

"Please," he said, reaching out a hand for Osomatsu to take. "Let me help you. You look like…" He trailed off, probably not knowing what to say without offending him.

"Like Hell?" Osomatsu offered.

He looked at the hand offered to him, and wondered what would happen if he took it. Would the priest notice, then? He decided to try. Taking the stranger's hand, he helped him up, and nothing out of the ordinary happened.

"Look- I must repay you for crashing into you. I have a medical kit, and where I'm heading is just around the corner there." He pointed past him, but Osomatsu didn't bother to turn around. "Please. Those wounds doesn't look good at all. What happened to you?"

Osomatsu tilted his head to the side, feeling the ripped skin on his shoulder stretch underneath his ruined clothes. His shin felt like it was on fire. Maybe a bandage wouldn't hurt. "Okay." he said. "And – You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Or maybe he would. He was a priest, after all. He turned and started limping in the direction the man had pointed.

"Let me help you."

Osomatsu felt hands on his arm, and he almost pulled away, not being used to that kind of contact. "Oh, thanks." He let the priest move his arm to his shoulder to lean against it, so that he didn't have to put as much pressure on the broken leg. It felt kind of weird getting help from a guy who would probably piss his pants if he knew the truth about him.

The two of them walked in silence for a few long seconds, and Osomatsu could practically hear the questions soaring through the man's brain.

"I was in a fight. Long story short." Osomatsu said, answering the unspoken curiosity.

The priest glanced at him. "What is your name, if I might ask?" he enquired.

Osomatsu hesitated. "It's… Oso, for short." he said. "And yours?"

"Karamatsu."

"Oh." It didn't strike him that this was probably where he should say "nice to meet you" or "that's a nice name" or something. Fortunately, Karamatsu wasn't done with his interrogation.

"What was it that led you to such violence, my friend?"

Osomatsu wrinkled his nose at his choice of wording. What a strange man. "I, uh…" _My father tried to kill me._ "We had a disagreement."

Karamatsu looked at him with concern in his eyes, his eyebrows furrowing dramatically. "Are you prone to such disagreements?"

Osomatsu hummed. "Nah, I wouldn't say that," he said. "It happens, but … Maybe not as intense as this one was." He gave a half-hearted laugh.

It was Karamatsu's turn to hum, and gently stopped Osomatsu in his tracks. "Let's cross the road. The church is right over there." he said, nodding towards their destination.

Hold on. Church?

Nobody had said anything about a church.

If Karamatsu noticed Osomatsu newly found reluctance, he didn't mention it. "The church isn't open today, but I tend to be there to study and pray," he explained, as if Osomatsu had asked about it. "Besides, I have a friend who's currently taken shelter in there, and I feel responsible of taking care of him."

"How kind of you." Osomatsu said absently, wondering if he was telling him this only for the sake of getting praise. They stopped in front of the gates as Karamatsu started fumbling with a keychain. Osomatsu bit his lip nervously, because when Karamatsu started walking through the gates, there were, as expected, an invisible barrier hindering Osomatsu's passage.

Holy ground.

Osomatsu pulled away, earning a questioning stare from Karamatsu. "Is there something wrong?"

"U- Uh…" He desperately searched his mind for something logical to say. "The- The thing is, I… I feel like I haven't been properly, uh, praying lately. I feel like I haven't paid enough attention to… God. Is it really right of me to be inside His house when I haven't been as devoted to him as I should?"

Karamatsu blinked at him. "I didn't realize you were religious." he said, a smile forming at his lips.

"It's complicated." Osomatsu nodded.

"But fret not, my brother!" he then exclaimed, the new nickname making Osomatsu cringe a little. "God is forgiving! You're welcome inside this church whenever you want!"

Did that sentence count as an invitation? He took an experimental step forward, and was mildly surprised when he no longer felt the barrier. He sent Karamatsu a grin. "Thank you." he said.

"Don't thank me, thank God!"

"Ah, sure. Anyway," Osomatsu leaned on Karamatsu's shoulder as if they were buddies already, but also because he needed the support. "I have someone I need to meet, so if we could hurry with this, that would be really great." Even if Karamatsu had invited him inside, he still felt uneasy walking on holy ground. He didn't belong there. Besides, he really did need to get to Choromatsu.

"Naturally." Karamatsu answered, leading them across the yard. "I'll be as swift as I possibly can."

"Awesome."

They entered the church, and Osomatsu wrinkled his nose a little at the scenery before him. Jesus was of course hanging on the wall, all big and mighty, shining in the otherwise dim lighting. The windows were decorated with scenes from the Bible, and on the walls there were framed pictures of various Bible verses.

"Just sit wherever you want, and I'll go get the medical kit." Karamatsu said. "Make yourself at home, brother." He flashed him a smile, before hurrying off.

What a painful guy.

He sat down at one of the benches, looking curiously around the room. _Make yourself at home._ Sure thing, Karamatsu. Although his actual home wasn't really his home anymore now, he supposed, he probably should try to look for somewhere to stay, but this wasn't the place. Sorry.

The man who had apparently thought the opposite of him on that matter then chose to show up. Osomatsu noticed his presence immediately, his eyes darting over to where he stood. He was wearing what Osomatsu recognized as a nun's uniform, literally just _standing there, staring at him._ He shuddered a little. Was he going to say something? What was with that _aura_? What a _creepy_ guy!

"Good day, eh?" Osomatsu called, only with a slight sarcastic touch to his voice.

The nun remained quiet for a few moments, and then he slowly opened his mouth. "Ah." he agreed. Then he was silent again, before he started making his way towards Osomatsu. He was _really_ giving him the creeps. Why wasn't it the other way around? Osomatsu was the devil here.

The man's face looked worn out, as if he hadn't slept in two days. He had bags under his eyes, and at first notice, Osomatsu would describe his expression as "dead inside", but on a closer look, he thought he could see something that looked like mistrust in there. Maybe he didn't like strangers.

"You…" he started, but just then Karamatsu reemerged.

"I have the- Oh, Ichimatsu! You're awake." _Ichimatsu._ The nun stiffened at his voice, but didn't take his eyes from Osomatsu. "I was going to go get some Indian food, but then I met this poor man on my way."

Ichimatsu only then seemed to take notice of Osomatsu's current physical state, and he narrowed his eyes. "So you brought him here," he said flatly. "Why didn't you take him to a hospital?"

Karamatsu dramatically shook his head while he put out the supplies he thought he needed to clean Osomatsu's wounds. "Our meeting was… slightly unlucky. I need to repay him with my kindness," he said, and Osomatsu thought he saw Ichimatsu's eye twitch. He couldn't blame him.

"I see." Ichimatsu said, swiftly picking up something silvery from the medical kit. Karamatsu didn't notice. A kleptomaniac, maybe? Either way it was hidden away in his clothes before Osomatsu registered what it was. "Well, I guess there's nothing better for him right now than the power of Jesus Christ, right?" He didn't sound like he believed that sentence himself. It rather seemed like he was asking Osomatsu, staring intently at him like he was trying to convey some secret message.

Osomatsu was confused. And for some reason the _J-_ and _C-word_ hurt more than before.

Karamatsu seemed perplexed with this behavior as well, but since he didn't show any bigger reaction, Osomatsu speculated that this was more or less his normal attitude. "Of course." he said. "Ichimatsu, could you be so kind and take this money to go buy some food for us? I need to patch Oso here up."

"Oso?"

"Yes, that's his name."

Ichimatsu stared at him for a few seconds longer, before he took the money Karamatsu was holding out to him. "I'll be quick." he said, and headed out the door.

The moment the door closed behind him, Karamatsu sighed quietly. "He's not very good with strangers," he explained. "He's sort of like a cat, that way. Takes a long time to warm up to you."

"And he's warmed up to _you?_ "

Karamatsu hesitated. "We're getting there." he mumbled, but didn't sound that convinced. "Alright, we'll have to start on your leg, is that okay?"

Osomatsu nodded. It was all he needed help with, really. The rest was bearable. He studied the other man while he gently pulled up the legs of his pants, seeming calm and collected about it all until-

The priest made a choked noise. "Sweet baby Jesus!" he hissed. Osomatsu let out an exasperated grunt. He was almost getting used to the annoying pain in his chest at this point. "It's- It's completely-"

"Yeah, it's kinda bad." Osomatsu nodded.

Karamatsu gave him an incredulous look. " _Kinda?_ It's snapped right in the middle! How did that even happen?"

Osomatsu gritted his teeth. "Long story." he said dismissively. He couldn't think about Tougou right now.

Karamatsu shook his head, examining the wound, which was now decorated in all kinds of nice colors. Blue, yellow, red. "Did you … Did you set the bone back yourself?" he asked faintly.

"Oh yeah, that sucked." Osomatsu snickered. "I'd rather not do that again, to be honest."

"Oh, gee." Karamatsu started rolling out the bandage. "And you've been walking on this… You're crazy."

"I'll take it as a compliment."

After that, a silence settled between them as Karamatsu worked on his patching. He fastened the bandage around his leg with such intense concentration, as if he had to do it with absolute perfection. Osomatsu leaned back in his seat, feeling restlessness bubbling in his chest. He'd have to excuse himself after this, before Karamatsu got to the other wounds of his. He just needed something to support his leg for the time being, and then it would heal itself, given enough time.

"Right, that should do for the bandage part." Karamatsu announced, reaching for something on the bench. He frowned. "Weird. I was sure I saw the scissors in there earlier. Well, I'll just go downstairs and get another pair. Sit still, I'll be back in a second!" He stood up.

"You can just rip the bandage, you know?" Osomatsu reminded him.

"Nonsense! You deserve the highest quality bandage!"

He didn't really understand what he meant by that, but the priest scurried off before he could ask.

It wasn't before Karamatsu exited through a door on the other end of the room that Osomatsu remembered something. He had seen the scissors earlier as well: Ichimatsu had stolen them.

Just as Karamatsu closed the door behind him, he heard a click right by his ear, and something cold touched the back of his head.

"A sound and you're dead, demon," a dark voice said. Osomatsu stiffened. He _knew_ there had been something off about that guy.

Ichimatsu moved in front of him, the barrel of a gun pointed at Osomatsu's head without the slightest hint of uncertainty. Osomatsu tilted his head to the side in contemplation.

"So that aura _wasn't_ just you being creepy. _Man,_ that surprised me!" he said, smiling sheepishly. "Also, you know that won't kill me, right?"

"But it will knock you out long enough for me to get the job done." Ichimatsu retorted easily.

Osomatsu pouted a little. His luck wasn't on his side today, but then again, coming into this church hadn't been a very smart choice. "You're not like I imagined nuns to be like."

"Shut up." He pressed the barrel against his forehead, where a bruise had bloomed beautifully. "What are your intentions for being here? Or should I say: what reason do you have for me to not shoot your right here and now?"

Osomatsu stared back at him. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you. But of course, it would be hard to explain for poor Karamatsu if he comes back up again to see you've murdered the man he was trying to help." he said. When Ichimatsu didn't react, he sighed. "Fine. If you must know, I honestly came with Karamatsu because I could barely walk, and I need all the help I can get right now, so…"

"Help for what?"

"Yeah, that's the complicated part." Osomatsu grimaced. "Basically I'm on the run, because To- uh, the king of Hell is planning on taking over the Surface. That means here, on Earth, in demon-lingo."

Ichimatsu narrowed his eyes. "You're lying."

"Oh, I wish." he groaned, rolling his eyes. "Why do you think I look so beaten up?"

"Then say you're telling the truth-"

"I am."

"Then what are you going to do about this problem? And why are you running?"

"One, I was hoping to get the word up to the Heavens somehow, and two, that is really none of your business, is it?"

The man pushed the gun harder against his head. "Just answer my question."

" _Don't tell me what to do._ "

"Somehow, all the scissors in this church has disappeared!" Karamatsu called as he opened the door. Ichimatsu swiftly hid away the gun, his expression morphing back into the same, flat one he'd seen earlier.

"There's a scissor right here, Shittymatsu." Ichimatsu called, crouching down as if picking up the scissors from the floor, and not from his pocket. He handed the scissors to Karamatsu when he approached them.

"Oh. It must have fallen on the floor, somehow. Wait, Ichimatsu? What happened to the food?"

Osomatsu sent the man an impish smirk, the type siblings often do when they _know_ the other is going to get scolded.

"They open in an hour or so. They had some problems with electricity or something," he said. What a nicely delivered lie.

"Ah, I see. Then I'll go over there after I finish this." Karamatsu said, crouching down to cut off the bandage. He seemed thoughtful for a second. "You really should go to a real doctor with this," he said.

"Nah, it'll be fine. I just need some support for it. Like a splint or something." He waved his hand lightheartedly. "I don't have time for a hospital."

"Okay, whatever you say." Karamatsu murmured worriedly. "Ichimatsu, do we have any splints?"

"We can use a cross," the nun proposed, still looking at Osomatsu. If Osomatsu hadn't been so tired of everything, he would've found the guy funny.

Karamatsu laughed. "But seriously, I think there's one in the cabinet downstairs. Didn't think I'd ever need it, but I bought it, just in case." He looked at Osomatsu. "Maybe it was God's will."

Behind him, Ichimatsu facepalmed.

Osomatsu grinned, giving a hearty laugh. "Sure, it was." he said, patting Karamatsu on the shoulder. Karamatsu's eyes lit up, like a dog getting praise. Osomatsu hummed. Maybe he wasn't used to that kind of affection either. Living with Ichimatsu must be a hardship…

"Right, Ichimatsu – Ah, I'll go get it myself. You're a guest after all." Karamatsu said, and made to pat him on the shoulder as well, but then seemed to think better of it. "Back in a second!"

The moment he shut the door behind him, Osomatsu leaped to his feet, momentarily ignoring the pain as he twisted the gun out of Ichimatsu's hand before he had the time to point it at him again. Then he pushed his hand down on his shoulder, forcing him to his knees in a swift motion: Everything all too quickly for a human to react in time. "Look, Ichimatsu. I'm not here to hurt anyone right now, okay? I'm here to _help_ , actually, believe it or not, so could you stop playing tough for one second and just let me do my thing?" he snapped. "As you might have noticed, I'm already having a _shit_ time, so I don't need you to come threaten my life when it's already being threatened by the goddamn king of Hell, okay?"

Ichimatsu blinked up at him. "You're for real about this?" he asked, after a few moments of heavy silence.

Osomatsu sighed deeply, and sank back on the bench. "Wish I could tell you the whole story, but I don't have time for that right now. I know they're looking for me. My f–" He paused, looking up at the ceiling. "Um, I was sentenced to death, kind of."

"Kind of." Ichimatsu echoed, as he slowly got to his feet.

"Yeah." He shrugged. "So I had to leave, but I got a little messed up along the road." He gestured to his body. There was a few beats of silence between them, before Osomatsu frowned. "How did you know what I was? You don't seem nearly the typical religious person as Karamatsu, and he doesn't know a thing."

"Shittymatsu is a little too occupied with his own appearance for that." Ichimatsu explained. "I just knew."

"Sounds like a secret to me." He grinned at the other.

"Even if it was, I'm not telling _you_ anything." Ichimatsu replied, though his voice had gone back to the usual monotone one. Had Osomatsu managed to be accepted by this guy too? Nice.

Karamatsu came back just in time. "Here it is!" he said. "It wasn't exactly where I thought it was, but I knew I had it. Let's patch you up."

Pretty soon after, the splint had been tied around his shin, and Osomatsu stood experimentally on it. It still hurt as fuck, but it would have to do.

"What _are_ you?" Karamatsu suddenly asked, and Osomatsu gave him a surprised look.

"Excuse me?"

"How can you bare that pain? You're incredible."

Oh. He grinned and rubbed the underside of his nose. "I guess I'm just that incredible." he snickered. "Well, thanks for having me here, Karamatsu," He paused, before looking pointedly at the nun. "Ichimatsu. I'll be on my way then."

"No problem, brother!" Karamatsu said, doing some sort of weird pose, which looked horrible, but was probably supposed to be cool. "Come back here if you ever need anything."

"I'll keep it in mind," he said, his hand already on the door handle. "Ok, bye, bye, then." He gave a last, impatient wave to the priest and the nun, before opening the door and heading out, _finally_ on his way to Choromatsu.

The scene unwrapping before him certainly was one way to start the day. And it _was_ the start of his day, since Ichimatsu had a tendency to sleep into the late hours of the morning, and if Ichimatsu did it, he would as well.

The moment the devil had stepped beyond the borders of the church, chills had run down Jyushimatsu's back. After so many months being bitter about having to stay out of sight from Ichimatsu, his invisibility had finally come in handy.

Walking behind Ichimatsu as he made his way up from his bedroom, the feelings of uneasiness just grew stronger the closer they got to the devil, and to Jyushimatsu's satisfaction, Ichimatsu had noticed as well, when he finally laid eyes on the man.

How Ichimatsu handled the situation reminded Jyushimatsu of why his brother was down here in the first place, as he pointed a gun to the devil's head.

He followed the scene silently, except for a few excited gasps and comments here and there, even though nobody could hear him anyway. He walked around the two men, looking closely at the devil's face every time he spoke.

"Basically I'm on the run, because To- uh, the king of Hell is planning on taking over the Surface. That means here, on Earth, in demon-lingo."

Jyushimatsu's eyes widened, and he looked from the devil to Ichimatsu to see his reaction. Unsurprisingly, his brother accused him of lying. He was far from stupid when it came to these kinds of situations – devils were masters at lying after all – and Jyushimatsu thought he'd been punished too hard by the Heavens, but he had to admit, Ichimatsu's methods were … questionable.

Angels were creatures of the light and everything good. Ichimatsu had always had a few problems with that.

"Then say you're telling the truth-"

"I am."

"Then what are you going to do about this problem? And why are you running?"

"One, I was hoping to get the word up to the Heavens somehow, and two, that is really none of your business, is it?"

At those words, and idea began forming in Jyushimatsu's head. Even if the devil was lying, something he'd progressively started to doubt as he followed the conversation, just telling the headquarters of the Heavens and making them aware of the might-be threat couldn't hurt, right? The devil said he wanted the word to the Heavens. He could help with that.

So when they finally let the devil leave – which _probably_ wasn't a completely good idea but then again, he hadn't seemed hostile, and it was an angel's duty to forgive – Jyushimatsu turned to his brother.

"Ichimatsu-niisan. I'll be right back," he said, as if Ichimatsu had ever known he was there in the first place.

He closed his eyes and breathed in through his nose, feeling a warmth spread from his chest and throughout his body. He spread his wings, and a light surrounded him. When he opened his eyes again, he was standing in front of the headquarters of the Heavens. He leaped from the ground, flying to the entrance before plopping down again to push the door open and go inside.

"Jyushimatsu." he said when approaching one of the administrators. The other angel, a pink haired girl, looked up with tired eyes, nodding, and made a hand motion as if turning a page. The book lying in front of her flopped open to a page somewhere in the middle.

"Here you are," she said. "What's your business here, Jyushimatsu-san?"

"I want to report an upcoming war!"

The girl raised an eyebrow. "A war?" she echoed.

"Yes!"

A few seconds of silence passed.

"Alright… Just let me make a call first, please wait." She closed her eyes, putting two fingers to her temple. After precisely 47 seconds, she opened her eyes again. "You're awaited on floor 6," she said.

"Thank you!" He turned away from here and quickly shuffled over to the elevator, which opened for him as he came closer to it. When he went inside, it closed automatically and went up to his desired destination.

When the door opened, he was met with an empty room with the exception of a desk right by some big windows, framing a great view of the busy square down on the ground, with three angels sitting behind it: two women, and one man. As he approached the desk, he was about to say something, but one of the women, the one sitting in the middle, beat him to it.

"Jyushimatsu-san." she said.

"Yes!"

She frowned slightly at the enthusiasm in his voice, before quickly collecting herself. "You've reportedly been absent from the Heavens for an extended time, without registering your purpose for that to the headquarters. Where have you been these past…" She glanced down at the paper on the desk. "…months." she finished, looking up with one eyebrow raised.

Jyushimatsu's smile faltered slightly. He gave a nervous laugh. "I… was…" He swallowed. "I was watching over my brother."

The three angels studied him, all of their faces stone hard. The woman in the middle laced her fingers together. "Jyushimatsu-san, you are a guardian angel, but you do realize guarding without authorization is against the law?" she asked.

Jyushimatsu's eyes darted around the room, as if there was something in there that could help him out of this uncomfortable situation. This wasn't supposed to happen. He cleared his throat, trying to put on a more professional exterior. "I know, but…my brother has some dangerous tendencies, and-"

"If I'm not wrong, your brother is Ichimatsu-san, right?"

"Y- Yeah."

"And you are aware of the many offenses he has committed?"

Jyushimatsu gave a small nod. "But I thought his punishment was a little strict."

The three angels all reacted slightly to that: The woman in the middle narrowed her eyes, and the other two both looked a little offended. "Are you suggesting the headquarters don't know how to do their job?" the man asked, his voice carrying a dangerous undertone.

"O- Of course not." Jyushimatsu quickly answered, waving his arms frantically. "But still I wanted to make sure that my brother –"

"Jyushimatsu-san," the woman in the middle interrupted as she stood up. "You've been away for several months, not giving a peep. This is, as you are aware, against the law. Your previous sloppy missions at guarding also suggests that you are not quite fitted for this job. You will be sent back to training, and as a punishment for your crimes, your wings will temporarily be taken from you."

Jyushimatsu's heart skipped a beat. "But-"

The elevator gave a chime as the door opened, and Jyushimatsu turned to see a couple of guards coming out of it. He automatically stumbled away from them.

"W- Wait-"

"Please remain calm while the guards restrain you," the woman said.

His heart hammered. They'd take his wings. He wouldn't get to see Ichimatsu.

He backed away from the guards, looking frantically for an escape. His eyes landed on the windows.

"Jyushimatsu-san, place your arms behind your back." one of the guards demanded.

 _No_.

Jyushimatsu turned on his heal, darting towards the three angels. All of their eyes widened and they took cover, but he simply jumped over them, crashing through the windows quite painfully. Suddenly he was surrounded by the roaring wind, rapidly descending towards the ground. He spread his wings, changing his course just in time. For a moment, the ground was merely a couple of meter's bellow him. Angels jumped out of the way, giving panicked shouts, and then he was ascending again. When he looked behind him, the guards were closely on his tail.

Fortunately, Jyushimatsu was a skilled flyer. He'd been on top of his class in school, at least when it came to physical challenges. He was fast, strong, steady – It was his powers that wasn't all that impressive. Which did make him a pretty shitty guardian angel, they were right about that.

He shot towards the other part of the city, where a gigantic streak of light were coming up from the ground. Angels could teleport into the Heavens whenever they wanted, but the only way out of it was there.

He could hear the guards shouting something behind him, and judging by the muffled sounds, he was steadily leaving them behind.

Soon enough, the portal to Earth was beneath him. He dived down towards it, letting himself fall while yelling excitedly.

" _Thank you, king-sized, game-winning home run!_ "

Choromatsu was dozing off again, looking up at the water surface glittering as the light shone through it. He was resting at the bottom of the lake, all of his limbs as well as his wings spread lazily in every direction. He wasn't particularly tired, but there wasn't much to do in his lake but to sleep. Sure, he could project himself some place, but he'd just projected himself to some baptizing ceremony, and although it was beautiful to see people so devoted to his Father, one synod in a day was more than enough.

He'd just started drifting off into sleep, colorful images flashing through his mind, when a sound woke him.

"- _omatsu_! _Choromatsu!_ _Are you there_?"

The words were muffled from the water, but he immediately recognized the voice. Not that it was that impressive, since it was the only voice he'd heard in years. He blinked his eyes open, trying to make out the contorted shapes through the water. When he realized couldn't see much, he sat up, making the water push him up to the surface.

The moment Osomatsu caught sight of him, he motioned in a way that made Choromatsu's worried he was about to jump right into the water. But he seemed to think better of it in time.

"Osomatsu." Choromatsu said, not noticing his own excitement until he heard it in his voice. Roses bloomed in his cheeks. He frowned down at him. "What happened to you?"

The devil, who was previously mostly just smiles and friendly teasing, now looked like he'd been in the middle of a war zone. His smile wasn't anywhere to be seen, his brows were knitted tightly together, and there were exhausted bags under his eyes. His left eye was blue, as well as a part of his forehead, and his lower lip was swollen. He was wearing the same suit as the last time he'd seen him, but this time it was tattered, and stained with blood on the shoulder. His posture was a little off, and Choromatsu realized it was because he wasn't putting any weight in his right foot.

Osomatsu avoided his eyes for a moment. "Uh… Remember when I told you about the relationship between me and my dad?" he asked, giving Choromatsu a lifeless smile as he shrugged. "It's most likely beyond fixing now."

Choromatsu ascended, stopping right at the end of the lake with only his feet under the water. He narrowed his eyes, studying the wounds closely. Osomatsu let him, though he could see he felt uncomfortable under his intense gaze. When he made to move away the tattered pieces of his suit to take a look at the wound on his shoulder, he abruptly pulled away. Upon meeting Choromatsu's confused look, he laughed sheepishly. "Sorry, old habit." he said.

"Do you want me to heal them?" Choromatsu asked.

"That would be nice."

He tried keeping the worry off his face – A goddess shouldn't care about a devil after all – as he put his hands over the other's face, warmth filling his body, radiating through his palms. When the bruise was gone, he moved on to his lip. When it came to the wounded shoulder, he asked Osomatsu to expose his skin so he could see that the wound healed properly.

"If you want to see me naked you can just ask." Osomatsu said. Upon seeing Choromatsu's disturbed expression, he scrunched up his nose. "…Yeah, that felt wrong, I agree."

Choromatsu gave a small, exasperated chuckle, as Osomatsu pulled away the tattered fabric. Underneath it was a big, red scratch mark, deep and angry-looking. It had stopped bleeding, but if Osomatsu wasn't careful, he was sure the wound would open easily.

"You should've seen what it looked like when it was fresh." Osomatsu said with a grin, although his voice didn't reach the cockiness he'd spoken with on their first meeting.

"You have to tell me what happened." Choromatsu said as he started healing his shoulder.

"Yeah, that was the plan, actually." Osomatsu sighed.

He raised an eyebrow. "Really? Where did that willingness come from?"

"It's a long story."

Choromatsu frowned. Although he and Osomatsu had had a nice chat earlier, Osomatsu was still a devil. Choromatsu was highly aware of this, and therefore held onto his skepticism when it came to the devil's words. Even if his wounds had been bad, and his exhaustion seemed authentic, knowing the creatures of Hell it could all be just a set up for a trap.

Though while he thought this, he couldn't help but feel sorry for the man.

"What's wrong with your leg?" he asked.

"Shin's broken." he grumbled. "Some priest helped me patch it up, which is another funny story."

Choromatsu's eyes snapped back to Osomatsu's. "A _priest?_ "

Osomatsu snorted before laughing loudly. "Oh, _man,_ I know, right. It's crazy. I'll tell you if you heal my leg. It hurts like hell."

Scoffing, Choromatsu motioned for them to sit. "I was going to do that anyway."

"It's kinda weird that you wanna help a devil, you know." Osomatsu commented as he sat and carefully revealed his broken shin.

"Oh, I do know." Choromatsu retorted, studying the leg. He wrinkled his nose. "Ouch."

"Well said."

"I'm getting quite tired of your sarcasm, you know."

"Oh, I do know."

He sent Osomatsu a scowl, forcing the smile playing at his lips back to whatever strange place it came from. He hovered his hands over the shin, and it didn't take him long to register how bad the wound actually was. "You've been walking on this?"

"Yep. Kinda badass, right?"

"You're an idiot." He shook his head, closing his eyes in concentration. As the bone healed back to normal, he could hear Osomatsu sigh shakily. He looked back up at him, and saw that the devil had closed his eyes, his face completely relaxed. It brought a warm smile to his lips.

"All done." he said, taking off the now unnecessary splint. "Now would you tell me what is going on?"

Osomatsu wriggled his foot, an amazed grin spreading across his face. He looked much more awake now, probably because the energy coming from the healing magic. It would give him a few more hours of vigor, but the man seriously needed rest.

"Why can't devils do that?" he asked, the envy clear in his voice though he didn't really sound irritated by it.

"Osomatsu."

He looked back at Choromatsu. When he saw the serious look in his eyes, his smile wavered for a moment, before he sighed, repositioning himself so that he was facing Choromatsu, with his legs crossed in front of him.

"You know who Lucifer is, right?" he started, and Choromatsu sent him a look that said "are you seriously asking me that?" Osomatsu chuckled. "Of course you do. Well the thing is: He's no longer the king of Hell."

Choromatsu blinked. " _What?_ " he exclaimed.

"Yeah, it's pretty big." Osomatsu said, taking a deep breath. Choromatsu noticed he looked more and more nervous as the seconds went by. If this was a bi-effect from telling the hard truth, or from lying, he didn't know. He didn't meet his eyes while he spoke. "He was defeated… b- by my father. And, uh, when I came home after hanging out with you, I was caught it the middle of the chaos. I expected my father to be immediately crushed under Lucifer's forces, but he's much stronger than I ever thought. Luckily I managed to find his Teleportation Gems before he got to me."

"Got to you?" Choromatsu frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that he's been following up on all my 'failed' missions," he explained, making air quotes. "A.K.A. the ones where I didn't kill those angels because I chose not to. He deemed me useless and an embarrassment, so he accused me for suspicion of treason. Which, to be fair, he wasn't wrong about. I never liked his stupid ideology."

"Which is?" Choromatsu pushed.

"I'll get to it. So, I tried to escape, you know, but there were guards in front of the doors. And my father has always been stuck up, so of course he wanted to arrest me himself. But I fought back, of course, but h- he…" He grimaced angrily when his voice wavered and shook his head. "He was too strong. He used an immobilization spell on me, making my whole upper body go limp, so I tried kicking him… w- with the foot you healed earlier."

Choromatsu suddenly felt sick.

"Um, so when he caught my foot, he sort of noticed your fingerprints, or so to say. Involvement with angelic beings is, of course, punishable by death."

A small, horrified sound escaped Choromatsu when he realized he, in a way, played a part in the situation Osomatsu found himself in. "Oh G- I'm sorry." he whispered.

Osomatsu gave him a blank look, before he smiled lopsidedly, reached up and ruffled Choromatsu's hair. "It's alright, buddy. It's not your fault." he said, chuckling at Choromatsu's baffled expression. Did he really just do that? But more importantly, did he really just _enjoy_ that?

"I managed to escape, though, by falling on my pocket where the Teleportation Gems were." he continued. "Then – Oh." Osomatsu widened his eyes as if he had an epiphany. "Fuck."

" _Language_."

"Choromatsu-" Osomatsu suddenly put his hands on his shoulders, staring intently into his eyes. "Listen. My father's plan is to take over the Surface. He's forming an army, and I need to get the word up to the Heavens so they can get ready to defend it. Can you do that?"

Choromatsu stared back at him. He opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, before he exhaled shakily. He couldn't meet his eyes when he spoke. "How do I know you're not lying?"

There was silence. Then Osomatsu removed his hands, and Choromatsu looked up at him too see he was giving him an incredulous and defensive glare.

"Right," he said. "Of course. I'm a devil, so you doubt my words. Okay." He didn't look okay with it.

"Osomatsu-"

"Don't sweat it." he interrupted dismissively. "Besides, there's another problem at hand, so you actually have to trust me at the moment." The offended look was partly replaced by something that resembled … guilt? "My father sent me to kill you because he felt your presence coming from here. He knows I didn't kill you, so he most likely will send someone else to finish the job. Wanna bet on that?"

An icy feeling spread throughout his body, all the way to his toes, as the information sank in. When he didn't say anything, Osomatsu's look softened.

"Please come with me, Choromatsu. You're not safe here anymore, and I need your help." he pleaded.

"Why do you want to oppose your father?" Choromatsu demanded. "Why don't you like the idea of Hell taking over the Surface? You're a devil!" He abruptly stood up, unable to sit still any longer. He started pacing back and forth, clasping his hands together by his face and muttered silent prayers under his breath. He registered that Osomatsu stepped away from his as the water splashed beneath his tramping.

"I like the Surface." Osomatsu said, but that just made Choromatsu scoff indignantly.

"Is that supposed to convince me? You _like_ the Surface? Why do you like the Surface when you're a devil?"

Osomatsu gave a growl. "Believe it or not, some of us actually don't _like_ how things are in Hell that much!" he spat. "Why do you think I keep accepting missions I know I'm going to purposely fail? It's because I _prefer_ being on the Surface. I'm tired of living in a society where I'm just expected to do something, because 'that's just the way it is'!" He threw out his arms. "It's a fucking pain in the ass, _okay_? Whether you choose to believe me or not, that's up to you, but if you stay here, it's your funeral."

Choromatsu stopped in his tracks, staring down at his feet while trying to steady is breathing. "…I'm thousands of years old. I've never taken a step out of this lake. Not even when I was alone for hundreds of years in between each short visits of company. I'm …" He hesitated, clenching his fists. "…scared."

It took several moments before either of them said anything.

"We're sort of in the same boat, then." Osomatsu said, voice soft. "Except I'm trying to escape from those 'responsibilities' that were given to me when I was birthed. Don't you want to do that as well?"

Choromatsu looked back at him uncertainly. It took a long time for him to be able to form his next words: "Do I have a choice?" His voice was quiet, just a shaky whisper.

Osomatsu didn't answer, but looked back at him with steady, serious eyes. Slowly, he reached out a hand, urging him to take it. Choromatsu looked doubtfully at it, dreading the part of him that wanted to accept it. Osomatsu had a point – He'd never questioned why he had to stay in this lake. He knew that it was the source of his life: If the lake was destroyed somehow, he would die. He didn't know what would happen if he stepped out of it, because he had never dared to, but he knew God didn't wish death upon his holy creations. If he stepped out of this lake, he wouldn't die. Slowly, he started moving his hand towards Osomatsu's. He was being tainted by his words – Letting yourself be tempted was a sin, he knew that. This might all be a trick, a way for Osomatsu to lure Choromatsu out of the safety of his lake, so that he could kill him. He didn't know if being alone for all these centuries had made him naïve, or if it had made him too mistrustful. Maybe … maybe some devils weren't that bad.

His hand was shaking violently when it met with Osomatsu's. Slowly, the devil started leading him out of the water. Choromatsu held his breath as he hesitantly took a step forward, screwing his eyes shut, and then-

His foot touched the ground. A gasp escaped him.

"Are you okay?" Osomatsu immediately asked.

Choromatsu blinked his eyes open. "Y- yeah." he said. He took a deep breath, and then lifted his other foot.

That was when the world tilted sideways.

Osomatsu reacted just in time, clumsily catching him before he hit the ground. "Choromatsu?" he demanded. "Choromatsu, are you alive?"

He tried forming a sentence, but the words came out jumbled as he tried to make the forest stop spinning. "I'm 'kay." he managed to garble, holding onto Osomatsu's arms as he tried to steady himself. "J'st dizzy."

Osomatsu gave a laugh. "Wow. Do you need me to carry you?" he teased, earning a weak slap from Choromatsu.

"It's fine." he said, concentrating on making his words sound intelligent. He let go of Osomatsu and tried taking a step forward on his own, before promptly tilting to the side. This time Osomatsu was prepared, and steadied him easily.

"Yeah, totally fine," he said, grinning from ear to ear.

"Stop finding this funny." Choromatsu ordered, which only made him laugh harder.

The devil wiped a tear from his eye. "Here, hop on my back." he offered, crouching down a bit.

Choromatsu scoffed. "No!"

"Do you wanna get out of here or not?"

The pair stared at each other intently for a few seconds, before Choromatsu groaned. " _Fine._ "

Osomatsu snickered as he helped Choromatsu perch himself on his back. When he started walking, Choromatsu stopped him with a quick "wait."

He stopped, turning his head in an attempt to look at him. "What?"

"Can you turn around for a second?"

He seemed to understand, and turned around so that Choromatsu could take one last look at his lake. Seeing it from this perspective was downright surrealistic, and he felt a weird mix between fear and excitement churning in his gut at the sight. "Thanks." he mumbled, and Osomatsu just nodded before turning around again.

"Oh great, now I have to climb this fucking rock with you on my back as well." he said in a tone that suggested he was happy about it, but the sarcasm was thick enough to touch.

"Do you even know where to go?" Choromatsu asked, his head resting limply on his shoulder.

Osomatsu took a moment to answer. When he did, his voice wavered with laughter. "I think I know a place."


	3. Chapter 3

The moment Oso had left them, Ichimatsu had scurried to the windows, only to change his mind soon after, going up to the tower instead, obviously trying keep an eye on Oso as he walked away. Karamatsu had been confused by the fixation his guest suddenly had gotten with the injured man, but then again Ichimatsu's behavior had a tendency to bewilder him. He didn't know much about Ichimatsu, but he _did_ know that he tended to keep away from strangers, much less care for them.

So why was he reacting so strangely to Oso?

Forgetting the food for a moment, he trailed after the man up to the tower, where he found him scouting through the glassless windows with a concentrated look in his eyes.

"What's going on, Ichimatsu?" Karamatsu asked softly, to not scare the man if he hadn't heard him coming, though he usually did. He'd noticed that if Ichimatsu wasn't deeply distracted with something, his hearing was unusually good, which just added to the whole mystery surrounding him.

"Where is he going?" Ichimatsu muttered, seemingly to himself. Karamatsu walked up to his side, and followed his stare. It took him a few seconds, but he soon caught sight of the black clad man limping his way along the coastline. He couldn't see him very well from this distance, but it looked like he was walking quite fast considering his broken leg. He still didn't understand how Oso could possibly endure that pain without a single complaint. Or a serious one, at least. He'd complained about it, but only as if it was a small nuisance.

"It's not nice to spy on people," Karamatsu scolded.

Ichimatsu sent him a glare. "You're spying on him too, you know?" he retorted, before looking back at Oso's limping form. "Is he walking towards the forest?"

Karamatsu frowned. "Didn't he say he had to meet someone…?" he muttered to himself before he could stop himself. Then he reminded himself that it was rude to accuse someone for lying without any proper evidence. He shook his head. "It doesn't matter. Maybe he's going camping!"

Ichimatsu didn't say anything, but continued to follow Oso with his eyes until he disappeared out of sight. It wasn't before then he straightened his back, though he was still kind of hunched over, and turned to Karamatsu. "Are you seriously this stupid?" he asked blatantly.

Karamatsu took a small step away from him. "What makes you say that?" he asked, trying to keep the hurt away from his voice. He'd honestly gotten used to Ichimatsu's somewhat abusive personality at this point, and although he suspected his actions spawned from a darkness he hid inside of himself, his words were often upsetting.

However, he forgave him every time, because he truly believed that Ichimatsu simply didn't know better. Maybe because he was lonely, or because of other problems he carried from the past. Karamatsu didn't know what, but he could tell there was something.

Ichimatsu looked at him as if he was waiting for him to realize something, but when he didn't, he just clicked his tongue and looked away. "Whatever. It doesn't matter now, he probably won't come back anyway," he mumbled, starting to walk towards the stairs again.

Karamatsu stared dumbfounded at him for a few seconds, before he scurried after. "What makes you think that, Ichimatsu?" he demanded, annoyance slipping into his voice. "We treated him kindly, did we not? I did, at least."

The nun stopped at the bottom of the staircase, turning around to look at him. "You wouldn't have treated him like that if you just opened your eyes a little," he snapped back.

"You aren't making any sense, Ichimatsu!" Karamatsu said, throwing out his arms. "Have you met Oso before? How do you know anything about him to lead you to such accusations?"

Ichimatsu stared back at him for a few, long seconds, looking like he wanted to say something back, but couldn't – But not in a way that suggested he didn't have anything to say, but as if there was something hindering him. In the end, he just scoffed, abruptly walking away from him. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you." he grumbled.

Funny. That was the second time he'd heard that today.

He willed himself to calm down, deciding to let Ichimatsu off the hook. He would let the nun come to him when he felt comfortable to do so, and fighting about it wasn't going to help anyone. He was his guest after all, and he was helping him maintaining the church, reminding him to blow out the candles he'd forgotten, and cleaning up after synods. It wasn't in his place to demand him to excuse his strange behavior.

He gave a quiet sigh, before walking down the rest of the stairs and making his way into the nave. Ichimatsu was standing by the exit. He'd opened the doors, and was leaning against their frame, unmoving. He walked up to the nun, stopping a couple of meters behind him. "How about we just buy some pizza instead?" he proposed, as a way of offering truce.

Ichimatsu turned his head slightly towards him, but didn't meet his eyes. He hesitated for a second. "Yeah, sure," he answered, and opened and closed his mouth for a short moment. "Thanks."

Karamatsu looked at him for a moment, a smile spreading across his face. He gave a dark chuckle, patting Ichimatsu once on the shoulder. "No problem, brother," he said, earning a seething look from Ichimatsu, but he scurried out of there before he had the chance to say anything back.

It didn't take him too long to fetch the pizza. He bought a couple – one with beef and one without: Karamatsu was a vegetarian, while Ichimatsu was like a child when it came to vegetables. He just really liked meat. The cashier had stopped to talk to him for a couple of minutes to ask him if he was the one who owned the church near the shore, in which he had puffed his chest up, proud to be recognized. So when he came back to the church, he was in a much brighter mood. He suggested they'd sit on the porch outside to eat, because it was such a nice day outside after all.

They ate in silence. After the few weeks they'd practically lived together, these silences had gradually stopped being awkward, and now felt more natural than anything. Ichimatsu was far from talkative, and sometimes it seemed as if he would prefer if Karamatsu was the same, but mostly he seemed okay with listening to the priest talk about whatever occupied his mind at that moment.

The thing was that the only thing that occupied his mind right now was Oso. Was he okay? Where was he going? What had happened to him? Why was Ichimatsu so skeptical about him? He thought he'd just had to add them to the list of questions he'd never get answered, because Ichimatsu didn't seem to want to talk about it.

It wasn't as if this was the first weird thing to happen after the guy moved in. No, Karamatsu had on one point thought the church was haunted: Sometimes he could hear light footsteps running around, but they stopped before he could decide if it actually was real or just his imagination. Sometimes, when he was cleaning up after a ceremony or a synod, he would sometimes hear the benches scraping against the floor on the other side of the nave, though he was the only one in the room. The worst part was probably when he thought he saw someone standing by him in his peripheral vision, but when he looked, there was no one there.

However: All of this, despite those events being unbelievably creepy, didn't top what had happened today. It was just _weird_.

"Did that pizza do something to you?"

Karamatsu looked up at Ichimatsu's voice, and only then noticed how scrunched up his face was. He gave a laugh, but it came out slightly forced. "Do not worry, brother, I was simply lost in thought," he said.

Ichimatsu studied him with his usual deadpan expression, and the silence stretched out a little longer. "You're wondering what my deal is," he said. It was a statement, not a question.

He blinked. "What?" he said innocently. "Why would I-"

"Spare me," Ichimatsu stuffed the last of his pizza piece in his mouth and swallowed before continuing. "I'm just telling you, that Oso-guy is bad news. Just trust me."

It was Karamatsu's turn to study Ichimatsu now. "I'm sorry, Ichimatsu, but… You've been nothing but secretive since you came here. Not that I mind, it's just – You can't blame me for being a little curious." he said, leaning his head in his hand. He started fidgeting with the cross around his neck with the other. "Oso was acting decently. I felt sorry for the poor man."

"It's not about how he was _acting,_ " Ichimatsu said indignantly. "I just don't trust him."

"See, that's what I mean with the secretive thing."

"Well- If you'd just paid more attention, you would have figured it out without me having to spell it out for you." Ichimatsu snapped. "You're a priest, aren't you?"

Karamatsu straightened his back, the sudden attack making anger boil in his gut. " _Spell it out for me_?" he spluttered. "Spell _what_ out for me? You haven't been telling me a thing! And yes, I'm a priest, but I don't understand what it is I am not seeing here."

"Your surroundings!" Ichimatsu threw out his arms, looking strangely offended. "You keep bragging about studying exorcism like your parents did, performing rituals and spells like your parents did, but _obviously_ you are nothing like your parents! Just open your eyes for _once_!"

He gritted his teeth. That one stung. "Don't bring my parents into this. Just tell me what the devil is going-"

" _Ichimatsu-niisan_!"

Both of the men jumped, Karamatsu looking around bewilderedly, while Ichimatsu turned his eyes upwards, just as a shadow passed overhead, and something- No, some _one_ landed in front of them from seemingly nowhere, tackling Ichimatsu to the ground. Karamatsu yelled in surprise, too shocked to do anything but stand up in alarm.

What-

 _What the-_

"J- _Jyushimatsu._ " Ichimatsu stuttered incredulously, from where he was pinned to the ground in something that looked like a bone-crushing hug, brought to him by … by an ...

" _A- angel_."

He couldn't see his face, but that wasn't important at the moment. What _was_ important was the big, feathered wings stretching out from his back, unmistakably real, as they moved swiftly up and down, reminding him strangely about a dog wagging its tail. The two of them seemed to remember him when they heard his voice. The angel turned to look at him.

Karamatsu made an embarrassing sound.

"Y- You-"

"Karamatsu-niisan," the angel said.

Wait, what? _Niisan_?

"Thank you for taking care of my brother for me!" he continued, jumping off a bewildered Ichimatsu and walked towards Karamatsu with a _big_ smile on his face. "You haven't met me before, but I've met you many times." He extended his arm.

Karamatsu felt dizzy. Scratch Oso – _This_ was _definitely_ the weirdest thing that had ever happened to him. The whole situation felt so surrealistic, he almost forgot that the motion the angel had performed suggested he wanted a handshake. Trembling, he raised his hand, and the angel met him halfway, shaking his hand vigorously.

"I'm Jyushimatsu!" he said, excitement shining through his voice as though that was the only emotion he had.

"K- Kar _amzu-_ Uh-" He cleared his throat. "Karamatsu. I'm Karamatsu." he repeated, and if his blood hadn't already left his face, he would've been blushing.

"I know!" The angel – Jyushimatsu – grinned from ear to ear.

"Jyushimatsu." Ichimatsu said, walking up behind him. Karamatsu had never seen him this shocked. He couldn't blame him: It wasn't like meeting an _actual_ real life angel was- "What are you doing here?"

Wait, _what?_

Ichimatsu quickly whipped his head around, looking for pedestrians, before taking Jyushimatsu by the arm and dragging him inside the church. Jyushimatsu stumbled happily after.

" _Karamatsu!_ " Ichimatsu barked when he didn't follow them, and Karamatsu jumped into action, scurrying into the church. Ichimatsu slammed the door shut behind them, before quickly turning to the angel. "W _hat's going on_?" He was yelling, something that was unusual for the otherwise quiet-spoken man, and his face was scrunched up in all kinds of unreadable emotion. Except anger. That one was pretty apparent.

Jyushimatsu was still smiling, but he'd averted his eyes, the corners of his mouth twitching nervously. "Ah, uh…" he began gracefully. "I sort of broke the law."

"You did _what?_ "

"I've kind off been away from duty for the past…months."

"The past- _Jyushimatsu?_ "

The angel's shoulders sank, his head drooping slightly. "I couldn't just leave you alone," he said weakly.

Ichimatsu seemed at loss of words for a moment, and Karamatsu was sure he saw his lower lip tremble. "Y- You've been here?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper now. His hands were fists by his sides, but he didn't look angry anymore. "You've heard my prayers?"

Jyushimatsu nodded, his smile back in place. "Of course! I've been with you all this time. I just knew that if you knew, you would send me back, but I didn't want that. I wanted to be with you, niisan."

"Jyushimatsu…" Ichimatsu had screwed his eyes shut, his head ducked.

As if on cue, the angel stepped forward and wrapped his arms around his shoulders. Ichimatsu didn't return the hug, but obviously leaned into the embrace, his shoulder's now shaking quite violently.

They stood like that for a few long moments, and if the situations hadn't been so abnormal, Karamatsu would certainly have felt awkward. But no, all that went through his head right now was a bunch of flashing red question marks.

Ichimatsu seemed to remember where he was, and pulled away from Jyushimatsu. He looked over at Karamatsu. His eyes were swollen, but his face had gone back to his usual deadpan. "Shittymatsu," he said. "Are you okay?"

"Who, me?" Karamatsu immediately said, his mouth acting without authorization from his brain. "I'm perfect! Never been better! Um- But this might take me a little time to adjust, of course. Aside from that I'm all- all…" His knees buckled beneath him, and he stumbled back onto one of the benches. "I need to sit down," he said faintly.

Jyushimatsu looked from Ichimatsu, to Karamatsu, back, and back again, always with the same goofy smile on his face. "Oh!" he suddenly exclaimed. "Karamatsu-niisan, sorry for scaring you a lot these past months. I can only make myself invisible, and I tried not bumping into things, but it's a little hard with the wings and all."

Karamatsu blinked. "Ah," he said. "You're the ghost."

"You've noticed him?" Ichimatsu asked, suddenly agitated again.

He raised his eyebrows. "I told you I felt a strange presence in here," he said helplessly. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to keep this from you."

Ichimatsu scoffed. "That's not the point."

"Ichimatsu-niisan is mad that you didn't notice him as well!" Jyushimatsu said.

"What?" Karamatsu looked at Jyushimatsu, before turning to Ichimatsu. "Noticed you? What do you mean?" The nun didn't answer, as he was too busy staring pointedly at the ground.

Jyushimatsu flopped his arms, his sleeves way too long for them. "Ichimatsu used to be an angel, just like me!" he said. "Can't you tell?"

His head was spinning. This was a little too much information at once. Could this day get any weirder?

As if on cue, the door crashed open loudly. The three of them looked up in surprise.

"Hey again! About that help you offered- I could need that right now," said Oso, walking into the nave with a winged man on his back.

 _Find Osomatsu, bring him to the Palace, and you'll be rewarded greatly._

Sure. He'd be rewarded with wealth and souls, and when that was over, he'd be back in training, forced to stay inside a damp classroom, with only a few visits to the Surface to perform some easy-ass demonic bullshit.

 _Unless_ Osomatsu was never found. The search would go on forever, right? Demons were immortal after all, so there would be no need to stop the hunt. That way, they'd never return to Hell – That way he'd never have to deal with the warm, dirty, unsanitary, disgusting neighborhood he lived in ever again.

Fortunately, Osomatsu was skilled in avoiding people, as much as he was in avoiding his responsibilities. Todomatsu knew. They'd been friends for a long time after all, because they were in the same boat: Every time they met, though rarely, they'd trusted each other with their secret hatred for the way things were in Hell. Both parties thought their own problems were worse than the other's, because while Todomatsu thought Osomatsu was lucky to have the freedom he had, Osomatsu thought Todomatsu was lucky to not be burdened with so much crushing responsibility - but it was relieving to get that frustration out once in a while either way.

Now, however, Osomatsu's problems might actually be a little bit worse. Nonetheless, like a good little brother, Todomatsu had found a way to turn Osomatsu's problems into his own good fortune.

He only had to make sure Osomatsu was never found ever again. But for that he did actually have to find him first, and with his exclusive connection with the devil, he found it much easier to pick him up on his radar. However: Somehow, annoyingly enough, just when he thought he'd found him, his brother had disappeared into thin air. If he didn't know any better, he'd think Osomatsu had returned to the underworld, but that would have been idiotic, even for him. So where had he gone?

Right now, Todomatsu found himself in a lovely little town square. Even from here, he could smell the salt water coming from the ocean, mixed with the scent of coffee and pastries coming from the café he'd decided to visit for a little break as he waited for Osomatsu to get back on his radar. He sat down at a chair, enjoying the sun on his face and the wind in his hair. He closed his eyes, trying to commit everything to memory just in case the situation would change and he'd have to go back to the underworld.

"Sir, if you're not going to order anything, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

Todomatsu opened his eyes, giving the plump man standing in front of him an innocent look. "Oh, sorry, my feet are just so sore," he said, putting on his best puppy-eyes. "I'm afraid I don't have any money, because my dad threw me out of the house yesterday."

The man blinked, clearly not prepared for this. He folded his hands – or, he put his left hand over the right, because his right hand was wrapped in bandages. "I'm sorry about that," he said. "But I still can't let you stay. Our customers need the table."

He seemed strangely jumpy about asking him to leave. Todomatsu cocked his head to the side. "I see. I'd really like to stay, though." he said, and stood from his seat, walking up into the other man's personal space. "Are you sure you can't make an exception for me?"

The man gritted his teeth, taking a step back. "You're just like that other guy," he said under his breath. "Please leave, sir."

"That other guy?" His heart skipped a beat. He gave his broken hand a look, frowning thoughtfully. "What other guy? Did he, by any chance, break your hand?" He knew this wasn't an assumption normal people would come to so quickly, but this was Osomatsu they were talking about. Or, he hoped it was Osomatsu they were talking about. Breaking people's hands were practically etiquette where they came from.

The man looked terrified for a moment. "That's none of your business!" he hissed quietly.

"Where did he go?" Todomatsu pushed, taking a step forward. He lowered his voice as he laid a hand over the man's arm. Warmth welled through his own arm and into his fingertips, connecting to the man. He choked on air, as dark energy slithered its way into his veins. "Tell me, or you'll die."

"T- Towards the coast. He didn't tell me I swear-!"

Todomatsu smiled, taking the magic away with a swift hand motion. "Thank you. Also, don't tell anyone about this." His eyes flashed in bright magenta. "Or else."

The man just nodded rapidly, and Todomatsu let go.

"Have a good day, sir," he sing-songed, as he strutted cheerfully in the direction he'd pointed, hoping that's where Osomatsu was hiding.

"Oh, fuck."

The room got awfully quiet after that, especially in comparison this his loud entrance. The scene before him was nothing but surprising. Why the hell was there an angel there? What had he missed in the short time he was gone?

He suddenly felt even more out of place than before, and more importantly, in danger. "Maybe this isn't a good time…" he said, slowly backing up.

" _You_!" Ichimatsu growled. "What did you do?" He pointed to Choromatsu, who'd passed out on his way there, his exhaustion getting the better of him. His head lolled lazily against Osomatsu's every time he moved.

"Nothing!" Osomatsu snapped back, fastening his grip on the goddess. "Or- It depends what you're asking."

"Oso?" Karamatsu piped up. He'd risen from his seat, but was holding onto the bench for support. He was staring incredulously at him, his mouth opening and closing without making any sound for a few moments. "H- How- You're- You were-"

"Oh, right!" Osomatsu exclaimed, mentally facepalming as he couldn't do so physically, carrying Choromatsu. His injuries. He looked from Ichimatsu, to the angel, who was surprisingly just standing there smiling, without attacking him or anything. He swallowed. Maybe he was waiting for something. "The thing is, Karamatsu, is that-"

"He's a demon," Ichimatsu interrupted, voice harsh.

"Devil, actually."

"Whatever!"

"Wh- What?" Karamatsu took a step back. He looked just about to faint. "You're a- Oh, _God._ I invited a demon into…"

"Devil!" Osomatsu rolled his eyes. It wasn't _that_ hard to understand, was it?

"Did you kill that goddess?" Ichimatsu asked, looking at him with murder in his eyes.

Osomatsu scowled. "Shut up. He's not dead," he said. "He's just unconscious."

"And why is that?"

"That's none of your damn business!"

The angel had stepped over to Karamatsu, patting him helpfully on the shoulder. "You'll come around to this, Karamatsu-niisan," he said, in which Karamatsu gave him a confused look. While the priest seemed overwhelmed by this situation, Ichimatsu didn't seem to mind at all. He was still staring at Osomatsu, obviously suspicious, and even though Osomatsu inasmuch understood why he was suspicious of him, a devil, he was starting to get a tiny bit tired of it.

"Look, Ichimatsu," he said, daring to take a step ahead. He gritted his teeth as he spoke. "You're weary of me, I get that, but what I said to you earlier was the truth. And I still need help, but at the moment it can wait. Right now, the most important thing for me is to find this goddess somewhere to rest, and this was the first place I thought I could come to. It's the… only place. Ironically enough."

The angel put his hand in the air, as if he was in a classroom waiting to say something. "I heard about your plans, Oso, so I tried going to the Heavens to tell them what was going on," he paused, and scratched his head through the sleeves covering his hands. "But I didn't get to that part, because they tried arresting me for unauthorized guarding, so I had to escape."

Osomatsu blinked at the angel. "What? Really?" he stuttered. "Wait- How did you hear that?"

"I was there! You just didn't see me!"

He wrinkled his nose. "That's kinda, um, creepy, but thanks I guess. Even though it didn't go as planned." He frowned, studying the angel. The man had actually sacrificed a lot for something that, for all he knew, could all be a lie. Either he was stupid, or he had seen that Osomatsu had been honest.

"I'm just happy to help!" the angel cheered, and didn't seem sad that he'd just had to escape from his home. Osomatsu noted that they were in the same boat, as another part of him, the one that had learned throughout his life that angels and devils were polar opposites that didn't have a thing in common, rejected that thought right away. Either way, even if he hadn't managed to actually bring the message to the authorities up there, it was the thought that counted. It brought a smile to his lips. "By the way, I'm Jyushimatsu!"

"Oh, uh," Osomatsu frowned, suddenly not liking his trust in him, but if this was going to work out, he'd have to trust him as well. "I'm Osomatsu."

Ichimatsu scoffed. "So are we, like, friends now?" he growled, looking from the angel to Osomatsu. "Just because my brother sees the best in everyone doesn't mean the rest of us do. Right, Shittymatsu?"

"Huh? U- Um-"

Ichimatsu raised his eyes to the ceiling for a second at that, seeming like he was saying some silent prayer, before looking down at Osomatsu again. "My point is," he said, taking a step forward to poke him hardly on the chest. "I don't want you in this church, because no, I _don't_ trust you."

Osomatsu gritted his teeth, anger boiling dangerously in his gut. He was having a hard time not lashing out at the nun, and it took him several seconds before he trusted himself to speak without shouting or saying something that would assure his banishment from this church. "Fine." he said. "But at least take the goddess. He needs a place to rest."

"No."

Osomatsu jumped at Choromatsu's voice. The goddess stirred, blinking his eyes open. His head still rested on his shoulder, but somehow he managed to sound authoritative only with his voice anyway.

"I need him here," he said, trying to lift his head, but it slumped right down again. "You don't need to like it. If he tries something funny, I'll stop him, but right now, please just let him stay."

Ichimatsu glared at Choromatsu, looking like he'd just gotten scolded by his mother. Then he clicked his tongue. "Shittymatsu. It's your church, so it's up to you," he muttered, stepping away to stand beside Jyushimatsu again.

Karamatsu blinked, looking like he'd been pushed onto a stage without knowing the lines. He was frozen for a few seconds, before he straightened his back and cleared his throat. "Why, of course," he started, voice low. "God is forgiving of all beings, and only He can condemn. All in need of help is welcome in my church."

"Great!" Osomatsu said, taking that as a cue to walk into the nave, paying no mind to the dark looks that followed him, coming from Ichimatsu. He walked up all the way to the front, where he lowered Choromatsu onto a bench, before turning around to inspect him. "How you feeling, buddy?"

Choromatsu squinted at him. "I'm not … sure." he said, biting his lip. "I feel kind of…" He trailed off, before shaking his head slightly. "Forget it. I'm fine."

He studied him for a few more seconds, only mildly irritated that Choromatsu was pretending to feel better than he actually was, before he looked over to the others. Jyushimatsu had engaged in an excited conversation with Ichimatsu, flapping his arms while talking loudly about something or other Osomatsu didn't have the energy to focus on. Ichimatsu wasn't nearly as excited, but he seemed happy, compared to the other states he'd seen him in. Karamatsu, however, seemed to slowly be walking away from them, obviously trying to not be noticed. When he deemed it safe, he turned around and started walking towards Osomatsu and Choromatsu, hesitation clear in his steps.

Aha. Karamatsu was scared of him now.

He smiled.

"And how are you holding up?" Osomatsu asked, grinning broadly. "Guess it's a bit much to get used to at once, eh? Oh, that reminds me of something." He released his disguise, making his horns and tail visible again. Karamatsu visibly stiffened. "It's such a pain in the ass to keep that spell up, you know?"

"Osomatsu…" Choromatsu warned, giving him a dark look.

"What?"

"Behave yourself."

Osomatsu scowled a little, placing his hands on his hips. "I _am_ behaving. This counts as behaving." he argued, before looking at Karamatsu again. He intentionally flicked his tail. "Sorry, did you want something?"

Choromatsu rolled his eyes, then turned his head to look at Karamatsu. "Please excuse him," he said.

Karamatsu looked uncomfortable, but he gave a brave, lopsided smile. "Worry not, I'm… ah," He hesitated, looking to Choromatsu's wings, and then to Osomatsu's ever moving tail. "…slowly adjusting." he finished lamely. He cleared his throat. "I was just going to say that I have a room downstairs. It's Ichimatsu's bedroom, but I'm sure we can figure out another option for him tonight. I have a house just by here, so he can sleep there if you need to stay here overnight."

Choromatsu smiled softly. "Thank you, Karamatsu," he said. "Your kindness will surely be rewarded."

Tch. Now he was just being a suck-up. They'd already brought Karamatsu into this mess, so if he was going to be rewarded, it wasn't going to happen anytime soon.

"It's the least I could do," Karamatsu said, looking meekly down at his feet. "I'm honored that you come to me in search of help. I have loyally and unwaveringly been following God my whole humble life, so-"

"So where's that room?" Osomatsu interrupted, worrying that he might actually become physically wounded if he listened to the priest any longer. Choromatsu tried giving him another scowl, but even he looked taken aback by Karamatsu's painful way of speaking.

"It's just down the stairs there, right ahead. Do you want me to show you the way?"

"That's fine, thanks," he said, helping Choromatsu stand again. The goddess leaned heavily on his shoulder. "Oh, and by the way, there's like, pizza on the porch that looked pretty fresh, for some reason. If you're not gonna eat that, can I-"

"Wh- What?" Karamatsu waved his arms. "I can get you better food than simple pizza! Pizza is way too – too simple for you! You deserve-"

"I _honestly_ think I deserve pizza, to be honest," Osomatsu interrupted again, giving a laugh. "But really, it's fine. I really want pizza. Uh- Thanks for your hospitality." Then he slammed the door shut before he could argue any more.

"I didn't know devils needed to eat," Choromatsu mumbled as they slowly struggled their way down the stairs.

"How else could I perform all of the Seven Deadly Sins?" Osomatsu grinned. "But no, it's not a must, but who doesn't like pizza? Don't you?"

"I don't know. I've never had it."

He gasped. "What a tragedy! Honestly, I don't understand how you didn't leave that lake sooner."

"You think I should've left because of pizza?"

"Among other things," Osomatsu pushed open the door to the bedroom, surprised to find it practically empty. There was a bed under the only window of the room, which was small and close to the roof. There was a closet there as well, but the only thing in it was pair of pants and a purple hoodie. "Hm. Poor Ichimatsu, doesn't he have any belongings?"

"Being more occupied with material and earthly things than with God is considered a sin." Choromatsu said. "He's a nun, after all."

Osomatsu scoffed. "What the hell," he mumbled. "That's some dumb shit."

"Could you watch your _language_?"

"Sorry," He grinned and rubbed the underside of his nose. He wasn't sorry, obviously.

Just then, Karamatsu came down the stairs, bringing with him the pizza. "It's gotten a little cold now, but I don't have a microwave here, so-"

"Don't worry about it!" Osomatsu said, grabbing the pizzas and making a show out of sniffing in the scent. "Mm, I don't think I've had this in literal decades. Choromatsu, get ready for the peak of your life." He turned around, forgetting to thank Karamatsu.

Choromatsu huffed laughingly from where he sat on the bed. Osomatsu, instead of sitting down beside him, made himself comfortable on the floor.

"Do you need anything more?" Karamatsu asked timidly. "A glass of water? Anything?"

"Water would be great," Choromatsu answered quickly, and the priest reacted with a quick nod before nearly running up the stairs again.

Osomatsu looked after him thoughtfully. "Man, he really is devoted," he commented, before shrugging and turning to the pizza again.

"I think most people would react that away upon suddenly house an angel, a goddess and a devil."

"Sounds like a beginning of a joke." Osomatsu hummed. "An angel, a goddess and a devil walk into a bar…"

Choromatsu rolled his eyes, and took a bite of the pizza. He chewed for a few seconds, before noticing Osomatsu was staring intently at him.

"Well?" he asked, leaning forward. "It's good right? It's so good!"

The goddess was fighting back a grin. "It's okay," he said.

"Liar! It's obviously better than _okay_!" He took a huge bite of the pizza, throwing his head back and humming exaggeratingly loud. "So good." he said with his mouth full.

"You're a mess," Choromatsu mumbled, looking away in a half-hearted attempt to hide the fact that he was smiling. He looked about to say something more, but just then Karamatsu was back, holding a plate with a pair of cups, and a mug filled with water balancing on it.

"I didn't have any lemons," was the first thing he said. "And I hope it's cold enough."

Osomatsu, sitting with his back to the door, leaned backwards until he could see Karamatsu upside-down instead of just turning around. "Ah, thanks, Kara," he said, rolling lazily onto his back as Karamatsu put the plate on the floor.

"You're of great help," Choromatsu said. Karamatsu started reaching for the mug, obviously wanting to fill the glasses for them, but the goddess stopped him. "It's okay, we can do that ourselves. Don't exhaust yourself. This has probably been a long day for you."

Karamatsu froze, looking alarmed, but then he pressed his lips together, his eyes suddenly a little blank. "Don't worry about it," he said, filling the glasses anyway. "You're my guests. It's basic hospitality." He handed each of them their glasses, Choromatsu first, and then Osomatsu.

Osomatsu received the glass, but didn't drink from it. He gave the glass a suspicious look, sniffing it, and then dipped his finger in it. When nothing happened, he gave relieved sigh. "I thought it might be holy, since we're in a church," he explained upon seeing Choromatsu's confused expression.

"Is it okay?" Karamatsu asked, distressed.

"It's all good, buddy," he said, waving his hand dismissively. "Seriously, dude, you're working yourself up _way_ more than necessary. Your stress if rubbing off on me, even."

The priest frowned, his eyes flickering like he had an inner monologue going on. "I see," he said slowly. "My apologies. Should I, uh… How should I act, then?"

Osomatsu blinked at him, before looking at Choromatsu for help. The goddess shrugged discreetly, and he turned back to Karamatsu. "Just… be yourself?" he said, and shrugged as well. "We had a nice chat the last time I was here. You're fun to talk to, even if you're kinda weird."

" _Osomatsu_!" Choromatsu scolded.

"Ah, thank you!" Karamatsu said, putting a hand to his forehead. "How kind of you. I'll try to act as normal as possible in this surreal situation, then. Now, excuse me while I go to my house and get a futon. _See you later_!"

The last part was delivered in obnoxious English, and with that, he disappeared up the stairs again. Osomatsu chuckled lightly, getting to his feet.

"He's weird, but he's good company, don't you think?" he asked, and Choromatsu shrugged.

"All company is good company, I guess," he said, reminding Osomatsu once again how much he'd been alone. It was sad, honestly. "Where are you going?"

"I'm just going to look around," he said. "It's my first time being in a church after all, you can't blame me for being curious."

Choromatsu frowned. "Are you sure that's a good idea?" he asked, but them seemingly realizing that he wouldn't be able to convince him to stay. "Don't break anything."

"Okay, mom," he said as he walked out of the room.

There were only two more doors in the basement. Behind the first one was simply a bathroom. The second door was made of metal, and it was heavier than the other, closing itself on its own if it wasn't held open. Osomatsu peeked in, and was met with a narrow corridor. He frowned, stepping inside. The door closed behind him.

"Osomatsu?" Choromatsu's voice was faint.

"Found something interesting!" he called back. "I think!"

When he didn't get an answer, he continued down the corridor. It turned a corner, leading into a spacious room, without anything in it. He tilted his head and walked into the middle of it, for some reason expecting something to happen. When it didn't, he made a disappointed sound. All that build up for nothing.

He turned back, walking towards the corridor again, but was met with an invisible wall. He gave a small, surprised yelp, looking around himself as if to find someone there, ready to attack him. The angel maybe… He'd seemed way too cheery. But he saw nothing and turned to the corridor again, trying to step towards it. It was impossible. "What the hell?" he exclaimed, putting his hand against the invisible wall. He wasn't in any immediate danger, but the fear from simply being trapped was slowly creeping up on him. "Hey! Let me out!" At that moment, he noticed the ceiling of the room - it was decorated in something that looked like a pentagram, ancient letters written around the circle.

A devil's trap.

"Oh, for _fucks sake_!"

"Osomatsu?" Choromatsu's voice was like an angel choir. Which wasn't that far from reality, anyway.

"Choromatsu! I can't fucking-" He interrupted himself to groan loudly. Choromatsu appeared in his vision, leaning against the wall.

"What are you doing?"

"I can't get out!" He launched himself at the wall. "It's a devil's trap. I understand Karamatsu's been ready for this." He gave a sarcastic snort, trying to push through the magic. He grimaced slightly. "It's actually kinda… it's really solid. I didn't know he was skilled in stuff like this."

Choromatsu made his way over, looking up at the roof at the drawings on the ceiling. He narrowed his eyes. "Where did he learn this?" he mumbled, before looking at Osomatsu. He smiled playfully. "How the tables have turned, though." He gave a giggle.

"Hey!" Osomatsu barked, an embarrassed blush spreading all the way up to his ears. "This isn't funny! Get me out of here!"

The goddess snickered. "Karamatsu went to get futons, though," he reminded him, leaning smugly against the wall. Osomatsu gave him an ugly scowl. "I'll go get him when he's back."

"What about Ichimatsu?"

"Do you really think getting Ichimatsu will help you out of this situation?"

Osomatsu stared, before leaning his head back, groaning loudly again. "How can my luck be this damn bad all the time?" he moaned, sitting down on the floor. Choromatsu did the same, but obviously more out of exhaustion than empathy.

"It's not that surprising in this place, though," he commented, stretching his wings so that he didn't sit on them, before wrapping them halfway around himself. It made him look smaller than he actually was.

"Look, I'm pretty new to churches and all, but I'm pretty sure most of them doesn't have a room made especially for trapping de-" He stopped, as an idea suddenly started to form in his head.

Choromatsu wrinkled this nose. "The last time you made that face you said someone was coming to kill me." he said. "What is it now?"

"This is perfect!" he exclaimed, slamming his palms against the floor as he stood up. "I have no idea what's going on in Hell right now, which is a big handicap if I'm ever going to kick my f- Tougou's ass, but this- If we just managed to capture a demon to tell us everything, things would become so much easier, right?" He gave the invisible wall a harsh shove, closing his eyes in concentration, but the magic wasn't giving up. A wicked grin spread across his lips. "Maybe there's actually a genius behind that painful attitude." he snickered.

"Right…" Choromatsu was looking doubtful when he opened his eyes again. "You're right about the handicap, but even if we managed to catch a demon and bring them here, how do you suppose they'll tell us anything at all?"

"I wish I could say my high status, but I think that one is past it's due, so _duuh,_ " He shrugged. "Torture."

Choromatsu stared at him for a few seconds, before he grimaced, clearly disgusted. "What? _No!_ " he objected. "How can you- Jesus, sometimes I forget where you come from."

Osomatsu scoffed. "Ok first of all, my name isn't Jesus, and secondly, I'm trying to condone your lame-ass standards for this to work, so just bear with me on this. We really need to torture this demon." he said, clasping his hands together and staring intently at Choromatsu. "We can't just stay here. We have to do _something_."

"I'm not going to torture anyone!" Choromatsu protested.

" _You?_ No, you don't have it in you," Osomatsu grinned. "You can sit back and relax, and I'll be the bad cop in this scenario."

"Bad cop?"

"It's a pop cultural reference, forget it," He cleared his throat. "But before that happens, we need to actually catch that demon. And I have a plan."

"That doesn't sound good."

"Oh, shut up. First of all, we need to get away from this place. Preferably a town away, on the border to the neighboring town, so that we don't attract danger towards this church. Borders are places that are _in between,_ where the veil between the Surface and the underworld is the thinnest. It's places like those where people who actually knows what they're doing when it comes to satanic stuff, creates shrines and performs rituals, because there's a higher chance to actually come in contact with something demonic. I just need to perform a small show there – that will attract a demon, maybe a couple if we're unlucky. Which we probably will be, considering how it's been for me until now." Osomatsu shook his head, smiling to himself. "I'm so good at this, can you believe it?"

"I mean, sure, if you ignore all the holes in that plan."

His smile was quickly wiped off his face and replaced with a glowering stare. "Okay, smart guy, what do you propose?" he asked, sarcasm dripping off his voice.

Choromatsu was quiet for a few moment, before he shifted, sitting with his legs bent beneath him to face Osomatsu directly. "If you're saying your luck is so bad, we can expect more demons to show up. For that we need powers to fight back. Even if we team up, I'm not strong enough to perform a proper mantra, and honestly Osomatsu, even after I healed you, you've been looking about to pass out at any moment. Besides, even if we were at our fullest potential, we wouldn't know how many demons would show up. If we got overpowered, I would be killed, and you would be brought back to Hell to be executed."

Osomatsu blinked. "…You might have a point there," he said, leaning his forehead against the invisible wall. A few moments of silence passed between them. He could hear Jyushimatsu yelling upstairs, still talking to Ichimatsu. It seemed they had a lot to catch up on, for some reason. The front doors opened just then as well, which was probably Karamatsu, coming back with the futons. That meant he would get out of this trap, finally…

He narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.

"Choromatsu," he said. "What about them? They can help us."

The goddess looked back at him confusedly for a moment, before he raised his eyebrows, more uncertain than in a cocky way. "I don't … I mean, we couldn't force them to. They probably have a lot on their plate already, and Karamatsu is already-"

"But the thing is, if nothing is done, their problems would become irrelevant," Osomatsu interrupted. "Tougou will lead his army to take over the Surface, and then, after he's converted every single living human on this planet, he will take over the Heavens. They won't be able to deal with whatever they've got on their plates right now, because they will probably all be dead."

Choromatsu's lip quivered a little, and he groaned quietly, burying his face in his hands. "You make it sound so… real." he muttered helplessly.

"Believe me, even as I'm saying this, I'm have a hard time wrapping my mind around it as well," he said, smiling empathically. "Besides, if we get that demon in here, he can tell you all what's going on, and then you can't doubt that I'm telling the truth anymore."

There was an awkward silence. "Osomatsu, I'm –"

"Oso?" Karamatsu called, probably from their bedroom. "I mean – Osomatsu, where did-"

Osomatsu jumped to his feet. "In here!" he shouted.

A few seconds went by, before the metal door slammed open, and he could hear Karamatsu's running footsteps coming towards them. When he rounded the corner, his brows were furrowed in a strange mix between fear and curiosity.

"Are you-" He started, but stopped talking when he saw Osomatsu's disgruntled pout. "My- My apologies, I've completely forgotten about this. It hasn't been in use for many years." Choromatsu moved out of his way as he quickly walked over, squinting at the ceiling for second.

"You can undo this, right?" Osomatsu asked, worry creeping into his voice.

"Ah… Why, of course. This is my profession, after all," Karamatsu said, though he didn't sound to certain. He closed his eyes, grabbing the cross around his neck with both hands. He muttered a mantra quickly under his breath. The air shifted around them, and Osomatsu found himself automatically moving away from the Priest. His voice progressively grew louder, and a cold wind, almost as if someone had opened a window in the middle of a winter night, played with his hair, making shivers creep up his spine. And then, everything abruptly came to a stop.

"Oh, hold on," Karamatsu said, scratching his head. "That's wrong. Let me try again."

Choromatsu made a worried frown. Osomatsu looked from him to Karamatsu and back, feeling a lot like he was standing in front of a loose cannon.

This time, the mantra was much shorter. There was no mysterious wind, no raising his voice, and Karamatsu finished with a proud, lopsided smile. "Try walking out now, Osomatsu," he said.

He took a step to the side, moving his hand out of the trap while his tail twitched uneasily, just in case he'd somehow turned the invisible wall into a wall of invisible death rays. Nothing happened. He hopped out of the circle, giving a relieved sigh.

"That was kind of anticlimactic but- Awesome, I was starting to feel claustrophobic," he chuckled, rubbing the underside of this nose.

Karamatsu gave a bothered smile. "Sorry. Also, um, don't go back into it, or else you'll get stuck again. I only know how to release the individual, not how to erase the magic. I wasn't the one who created it."

Choromatsu slowly got to his feet, leaning heavily against the wall. "Are there more exorcists using this church?" he asked.

He shook his head. "No, I'm the only one who works here, except Ichimatsu. People come here sometimes on Sundays to pray, and sometimes I preach, or other people come to preach in the rare times there's a ceremony or synod here. The ones who created this devil's trap was my parents."

"Where are your parents now?" Osomatsu asked.

"They're dead."

He hummed. "That's unfortunate," he said and shrugged. "If you'd been _this_ skilled in magic, it would've been extremely helpful."

"Osomatsu…" Choromatsu warned.

Karamatsu had perked up like a dog hearing the word "walk". "But I _am_ skilled in magic," he said. "I've studied it since I was a child."

Osomatsu grinned. "Do you hear that, Choromatsu?" he said. "What did you say about not having enough power?"

"You make it sound easier than it really is, and you know that," Choromatsu said exasperatedly.

Karamatsu looked confused. "What's going on here, if I might ask?"

Osomatsu looked back at the devil's trap, and shoved his hands into his pocket. Then he turned and patted Karamatsu on the shoulder. "I'll tell you tomorrow, I'm tired," he said, holding out an arm to Choromatsu. The goddess looked like he wanted to protest, but grudgingly accepted it. The three of them started making their way through the corridor again.

"Right! I put the futon in the bedroom, so-"

"Great! Thank you, Karamatsu." Osomatsu said. "Also, don't try to erase the devil's trap."

"Why?"

"Because I might need it."

"Wh- What?"

He pushed open the metal door. "Hopefully we won't occupy this church for a long time."

Karamatsu frowned, walking through it quickly while Osomatsu held it open for him. "It's alright, I really don't mind."

Osomatsu grimaced. "Yeah, I know. But I, uh…" He rubbed his neck. "I feel like I shouldn't be in here. Can't really explain it."

The priest made an "o" with his mouth, as if suddenly seeing the horns on Osomatsu's head, or the tail behind him. "I see." he said, and started nervously fidgeting with the cross around his neck. "Well then I hope that you, um… make yourself as comfortable as possible. There's nobody out to get you in here."

"I'm not so sure, but that's okay," he said with a grin. Ichimatsu was _probably_ out to get him. "We're going to rest now. Good night."

Karamatsu nodded once. "Right. Sleep well." he said, and turned to leave but froze. "Also- Ichimatsu didn't want to leave, so he and Jyushimatsu is up in the nave. Just so you know."

 _Just so you know._ Ichimatsu was _definitely_ out to get him. "Alright. Say goodnight to them from me." he said, smiling amusedly.

He really hoped he wouldn't wake up in the middle of the night because Ichimatsu decided he'd had enough of him. With that thought in mind, he and Choromatsu closed the bedroom door behind them, unsuccessfully shutting out Jyushimatsu's persistent yelling.

Of course, sleeping had never been something he'd had a problem with, considering sleeping was a rare event for him as a devil. Ehen he _did_ sleep, it was mostly out of boredom, or if he got knocked out. In either of these situations, _dreams_ had never been an issue. Or, to be more specific: Nightmares.

In the dream, he was still talking to Choromatsu by the lake. It was when he was begging him to get out of the lake, but before he managed to convince him, dark shapes started to take form on the other side of the lake. Before he had the time to yell at the goddess to take cover, he made a guttural sound, before falling forward. Osomatsu had caught him, to see an arrow sticking deep into his back. He knew that the arrow had pierced the angel's heart, in the way you just know some things in dreams. The arrow was black, emitting dark mist, showing that it was poisoned with dark magic. He'd desperately tried shaking Choromatsu back to life, but his eyes were glazed over, his breath nonexistent. Blood had soaked his white robe. He'd ripped the arrow out, even though the goddess was already dead, and then he looked over the lake to see Tougou, standing there, just smiling at him.

That was when he woke up, soaked in sweat, feeling like he couldn't breathe. He couldn't see much in the darkness around him, and for a moment, he completely forgot where he was.

"Osomatsu?"

He gave an instinctive sneer, lifting his hand, which had now turned into a monstrous claw, ready to lash out at whoever had managed to sneak up on-

A light appeared in front of him, illuminating Choromatsu's frightened face, holding up something that looked like a shielding spell. Osomatsu stopped abruptly, his mouth falling open as the demonic side of him faded.

"Ch- Choromatsu," he managed weakly, as he sat back, burying his face in his hands with a tired groan while trying to steady his breathing. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." His voice came out muffled.

"I'm not scared," was what he said, but his tone said something else. Osomatsu looked up to give him a doubtful look. The goddess scowled. "You were having a nightmare."

"I noticed." he retorted flatly.

"What did you dream of?"

His voice was strange, like a cross between worried and smug. He raised an eyebrow. "Nothing that made sense," he lied easily, not planning to tell Choromatsu what it had actually been. However, something about him told him he already knew.

"Really?" he said, smiling now. "You were calling my name."

Osomatsu stared at him for a couple of seconds, his face gradually reddening. "Was not." he said stubbornly, but this time, lying wasn't as easy.

Choromatsu just chuckled. "Alright, then," he said, before his face went back to being worried. "Osomatsu. Are you-"

"You can take away that protection spell now," Osomatsu interrupted. "It's hurting my eyes."

"Oh, sorry." The room went dark. There was a few moments of silence before Choromatsu continued. "I just wanted to say that if… if you ever need to-"

Again, Osomatsu interrupted: "Choromatsu," he said, feeling embarrassed. He gave a light smile, even though it couldn't be seen in the darkness. "I'm not a kid. I can handle a little nightmare, so don't worry about me." He reached out in the darkness, finding Choromatsu's head to ruffle his hair. "Go back to sleep. You need to rest."

Choromatsu was quiet for a long time after that. He'd become quiet after the first time he'd done that as well. Like an off-button. He'd keep that in mind. "Okay…" he said slowly. "See you tomorrow, then." He stood up and walked back to his bed, the springs creaking as he lied down.

Osomatsu listened to his breathing for a while, lying awake for a long time, before he, with some difficulty, drifted back to sleep as well.

The next time he woke up, it was because something soft was thrown at his face. He gave a grunt, fumbling to get whatever it was away. When he got his vision back, he squinted tiredly at a black clad form in the doorway.

"Karamatsu got it for you," Ichimatsu grunted, before quickly leaving.

Osomatsu frowned, and looked at the thing in his hand. It was a red hoodie. Ah, right, he was still wearing the same tattered clothes he'd been wearing for three days now. He smiled gratefully, changing to the hoodie right away.

When that was done, he looked over to the bed, where there was no Choromatsu to be seen.

"Must be one of those early birds," he muttered to himself as he struggled to get up from the futon. He gave a yawn as he walked out of the room, passing the metal door on the way to the stairs. He had to tell the others about his plan. Hopefully, they'd understand the seriousness about this situation, and _hopefully_ they would believe him. Don't worry, he was completely content with being a devil, but this hesitancy they all felt towards him was getting on his nerves.

He emerged from the basement, and was met with a weird sight: Jyushimatsu the angel was standing by the cross on the wall, holding a bat, looking ready to hit the ball Ichimatsu was about to throw. The doors were open, obviously to hit the ball through, but it wasn't hard to tell that it was a bad idea. Osomatsu understood the train of thought behind it though: They couldn't be outside in case Jyushimatsu would be seen, so they had to stay inside the church, and the ball would hit the gates on the other side of the yard. Above the doors, however, there was a colored window, covered with a mighty looking image of Jesus. Osomatsu knew where this was going.

Choromatsu did too, apparently, standing by the sidelines, looking awfully like he wanted to warn them, but didn't feel like it was in his place to tell them what to do.

The ball was in the air. It connected with the bat with an amazing force, and the ball went right through the window with a dreadful crash. Jesus' face was not so pretty anymore.

"Oh, God," Choromatsu yelped, bringing his hands to his lips. Ichimatsu didn't look bothered, but Jyushimatsu had done a small, panicked dance, and was now standing in a ridiculous position with his hands up. Osomatsu laughed loudly, earning a scowl from Ichimatsu.

"Ah! Good morning, Osomatsu!" Jyushimatsu called. "Did you sleep well?"

He blinked, suddenly feeling bothered. Being treated nicely by an angel was definitely a first, and a part of him didn't trust the guy. But he also though his goofy smile was hard to resist. "Uh, yeah." he lied. "Why are you using a bat inside the church?"

"Because we can't risk being seen!"

"I got that part, but why are you using a bat, like, at all?"

Jyushimatsu tilted his head to the side. "Because I want to?" he said, but it sounded more like a question, as if Osomatsu's confusion about the situation was completely out of place.

He chuckled a little. "Alright," he said, walking closer to the three of them. "Where's Karamatsu?"

Choromatsu was looking at him. He wasn't saying anything, but his brows were furrowed. Either he was still worried about that stupid little nightmare, or he was wondering if Osomatsu was planning to introduce the plan to the others. He gave the goddess a broad smile, just to lighten his mood.

"He went to get some food," Choromatsu said. "And he also said he needed to take a walk. What about it?"

Osomatsu raised his eyebrows at the rather knowing tone of his. He glanced at the other two, before looking at Choromatsu again. The impatient part of him wanted spill his speculations right away, but then there was the problem that everyone in the room aside from him were devoted followers of God, and he knew even Choromatsu was conflicted when it came to trusting him. It was annoying, but it was the truth, and at the moment it wouldn't help to get angry about it. He bit his lip, averting his eyes only for a moment, but apparently, that was enough for Ichimatsu to get suspicious.

"What?" he demanded.

Osomatsu gave him a look. "What, what?" he asked innocently.

Ichimatsu scowled, taking a step towards him. "You-"

"Hey, it's nothing!" Osomatsu protested, taking a step back without realizing it himself - The guy really was intimidating, even though he knew he was practically harmless against himself. "Or- It's something. And it's about what I told you, but I want to wait until Karamatsu comes back before I start explaining." He looked at Choromatsu and Jyushimatsu, before raising his eyes at Ichimatsu. "And you have to trust me," he added.

The nun clicked his tongue. "Do you just expect us to trust you, just like that?" he asked, crossing his arms. "Sorry to break it to you: You can tell us whatever you want, but it won't change the fact that you're a being famous for excelling at lying. So no, I won't just trust you, because you're not one of us. It's just how it is."

Osomatsu scoffed. "You seemed to believe me the first time we met." he said. "What happened?"

"I guess devils aren't the only ones good at deceiving," Ichimatsu answered, after a small pause. "I couldn't kill you then, because of Karamatsu."

In his peripheral vision, he could see Jyushimatsu hopping impatiently from foot to foot. He turned to the angel and tilted his head. "Do you trust me?" he asked.

Jyushimatsu stopped hopping, with one foot still in the air. He hummed thoughtfully. "Maybe," was his conclusion. Osomatsu shrugged. Good enough.

"Choromatsu?" he then said, turning to the goddess. He looked back at him with a slightly annoyed stare, as if he was offended he had the audacity to ask him about it.

"You know how I feel," he said. Then he averted his eyes to the floor. "But… For now, until proven guilty, I'll let you off the hook."

"'Until proven guilty'," Osomatsu mimicked, giving a laugh. "Alright, thanks. Now it's just Karamatsu –"

"What?" the latter called, from the other side of the nave as he walked through the entrance doors. He was carrying one grocery bag in each hand. When he saw Osomatsu, he gave a smug grin. "Do you like the hoodie?"

"Oh, yeah! It's great." Osomatsu replied, mirroring his smile. The priest still seemed a little weary, and it was pretty obvious that he had to force himself to act natural, but he guessed he'd get there at one point. "So, Karamatsu, about what happened yesterday-"

He froze in his tracks for half a second, before he slowly continued walking again. "…Yes?" he said cautiously.

Osomatsu laughed. "Don't worry. Or, don't worry about that, at least. I have some worries I need to share with you, unfortunately." He grimaced.

Karamatsu frowned, looking at the grocery bags. "Oh. I was going to make pancakes, though."

"Pancakes can wait." Osomatsu gestured towards the door to the basement. "Let's go downstairs. I have to tell you about this incoming apocalypse."

Heading down to the devil's trap had previously felt like a good idea, as a way to kind of set a serious mood and convince the others that this plan was more or less bulletproof with the use of the trap. That was, of course, until Ichimatsu understood what would happen if Osomatsu walked into it, in which he demanded that Osomatsu should demonstrate. Before Osomatsu had the chance to snap something back at him and reawaken their bickering again, Choromatsu stepped in and told them both to stop acting like children. Osomatsu knew he was right, but he still stuck his tongue out to him.

When they in the end settled down, Osomatsu was standing in front of the trap. Ichimatsu had gotten tired of standing still, and was sitting in the background, leaning against the wall with his knees propped up against his chest. Jyushimatsu had joined him, sitting on the floor with his feet in his hands, rocking restlessly back and forth. Choromatsu and Karamatsu was still standing up, waiting for Osomatsu to start. This kind of … leadership wasn't something he was all that used to, and he felt an unknown tug of anxiety in his gut.

"Um…" he started gracefully. "So basically, what I'm doing here in the first place is because I- was…" He trailed off, not knowing where to start, nor how to say it. He glanced at Choromatsu, who gave him a slight nod. He cleared his throat. "I was sentenced to death by my father. Uh, long story," he added when he saw the other three's bewildered expressions. He waved his hand. "Originally I was just sentenced to the Fields of Punishment for suspicion of treason, which was unfair because my father didn't have any solid proof, but then again he wasn't exactly wrong." He gave a half-hearted chuckle. "Anyway- After that he _did_ find proof for that treason, which was involvement with heavenly beings," He gestured to Choromatsu. "and _then_ I got sentenced to death. So I had to escape, because my dad had just overthrown Lucifer – Which is an important part of this whole story so I should maybe have told you that part first."

Ichimatsu was staring daggers at him, but this time it was because of shock, not because of something annoying Osomatsu had done. Jyushimatsu's mouth was hanging open. Karamatsu looked more confused than anything, but he definitely got the message.

"I told you the king of Hell was trying to take over the Surface, and that's true," Osomatsu said. "But the king of Hell isn't Lucifer anymore. It's my father, Tougou."

He told them about his family's long lived belief in an expanded Hell, and how he'd avoided killing any angels, and why Tougou decided he wanted to kill his own son. When he finished, his tone had gotten noticeably quieter, so when he finally stopped talking, the room got uncomfortable silent. Karamatsu was the first to speak up. His brows were furrowed in worry, as well as pity, something that made Osomatsu feel uncomfortable, but also kind of flattered. Just a little bit.

"My brother," he started. "What trials you've been through. I'll gladly help you with whatever you need."

"Well, you sort of have to, unless you want Hell to take over," Osomatsu shrugged. "And for that I need to get a message to the Heavens. I need them to know what is about to happen. Obviously, I can't go there and tell them myself: I'd get killed immediately. Jyushimatsu – Uh, sorry for what happened, but I'm glad you tried. So that leaves you, Choro," He turned to the goddess, who stiffened.

"I've broken the rules too, Osomatsu," he said. "By leaving my lake."

Osomatsu scoffed. "You were in danger. They have to understand that, right?" he asked, but Choromatsu shook his head, along with Jyushimatsu. Osomatsu gestured in a way that said "what the fuck".

"It's extremely strict," Choromatsu explained. "What happened with Jyushimatsu is… It's the perfect example for how things work there. It's effective in a way: Everyone is following God's commands without a second thought, and if someone shows signs of disobedience, they get punished. Why I was assigned to that lake I can no longer remember, but either way I've defied orders. If I go up there, I might get arrested, and they might take my wings." He grimaced at the last part, the thought obviously not very appealing.

"That's fucked up," Osomatsu commented.

"Language."

"Fortunately, I still have a plan!" He grinned and rubbed the underside of his nose. "This is where the devil's trap comes in handy. I have no idea what's going on in Hell right now, because I can't go down there and get updates anymore, obviously. So what we need is to get a demon to spill the beans. You know what I mean?"

"You're going to bring a demon into my church?" Karamatsu asked tentatively.

"What? The devil's trap is here for a reason, right?" Osomatsu asked. "Besides, I'm here! I'm much worse." He grinned. Choromatsu rolled his eyes.

"How are you gonna do that?" Ichimatsu said from his corner of the room.

Osomatsu took a deep breath. "Um. That's where you guys come in," he said. "I know where to go and what to do to attract the demons. There's probably many looking for me right now, so all I have to do is perform a little show at an in-between place, and hopefully that'll attract a demon. However, with my luck, it'll probably attract more than one. I'm guessing about three. You have to help me defeat them. Choromatsu, you feel better now, right?"

Choromatsu nodded. "I'm not completely healed yet, but I'm much stronger than yesterday."

"Right. And _I'm_ feeling a whole lot better. Demons aren't as strong as devils, so one demon wouldn't have been much of a problem, but three makes it a bit more difficult. Since Choromatsu is weakened, I need your help, Jyushimatsu." He looked at the angel, who immediately got to his feet.

"I'm in!" he yelled, making a motion as if swinging a baseball bat. "Hustle, hustle! Muscle, muscle!"

Osomatsu smiled merrily. _This guy's enthusiasm…_ "And Karamatsu," The priest stiffened. "Have you ever tried using your magic in the battlefield?"

Karamatsu swallowed, and shook his head. "I've never encountered a demon before. Ah, before I met you, I mean." He smiled sheepishly. "But I want to help. I'll do what I can."

He nodded. "Alright. Ichimatsu-"

"Ichimatsu can't go," Jyushimatsu said, earning a glare from mentioned nun.

"Jyushimatsu, you can't-"

"I've been guarding you for six months, niisan," Jyuushimatsu said, strangely serious compared to his previous attitude. He was still smiling, but his eyes shone with worry. "You're brave, but you're reckless. You aren't used to not having your abilities to fight with. You haven't been in a real fight with any demons since your fall. We both know there's only one way this fight could've ended."

Ichimatsu stared at him for several moments, before looking gloomily away. "I'll be here for when you come back." he mumbled.

Osomatsu was confused. "Wait – Without your abilities? After your fall? What's that supposed to mean?"

Karamatsu was the only one who looked empathic when he said that. Choromatsu made a face that clearly said "please stop talking, Osomatsu", Jyushimatsu face had gotten weirdly expressionless, while Ichimatsu was, again, staring daggers at him. He stood up, walking determinately towards Osomatsu with the same, angry look in his eyes.

"Would have thought some big-shot devil like you would've noticed by now," he said. "I understood the first time, but now? The goddess figured it out. But you're just too stupid, aren't you?"

"Ichimatsu-niisan-" Jyushimatsu tried, but was ignored. Choromatsu and Karamatsu didn't look like they wanted to interfere. Traitors.

Osomatsu took an instinctive step backwards. "Woah, hey, I'm not the best at paying attention, I can admit that," he said, waving his hands. The way this guy was affecting him was seriously starting to piss him off. "Are you like a fallen angel or something?"

Ichimatsu stopped, raising his eyebrows. "Yes," he said, wrinkling his nose. "Took you some time. Maybe fear fuels your brain power."

He gritted his teeth. "I wasn't _scared_ ," he protested. "It was just instinctive self-defense."

Ichimatsu sent him a smug, lopsided smile. "Really? Because your face said differently. Why is a devil like you afraid of a _human_?"

Osomatsu clenched his fists. This constant bickering reminded him of his fights with his brother, Todomatsu; He wasn't saying anything that really hurt him in any serious ways, but his whole _attitude_ about it was making his feelings cloud his judgement. "Listen here, you-" He started, taking a step forward, before quickly realizing-

He couldn't.

Ichimatsu grinned.

"You-" Osomatsu started incredulously, looking up at the ceiling to see he'd stepped into the devil's trap again. He looked back down at Ichimatsu again, slamming his fist against the invisible wall. "Did you do that on purpose?"

Ichimatsu shrugged, his face quickly morphing back into the same, old bored one. "I had to see if it worked." he said. "Told you devil's weren't the only ones good at deceiving."

"What the _hell,_ " Osomatsu didn't know if he was more irritated or impressed. "You even faked that temper tantrum?"

"Shut up."

He gave a sound between a scoff and a laugh. "Wow. I'm impressed, really."

"Can we leave him in there?" Ichimatsu asked. Jyushimatsu had gotten his smile back, and he gave a loud laugh. Choromatsu looked like he found the situation amusing, but wanted to act like the most grown of the lot, so he tried to fight the smile playing at his lips. Karamatsu was smiling in a relieved kind of way, as if he'd just realized those holy beings he'd been worshipping his whole life was actually just a bunch of overgrown children, and thus nothing to be afraid of.

And although it was nice to see everyone suddenly getting along, he was still trapped, and he crossed his arms, tapping his foot impatiently. "Karamatsu," he called, his tail twitching indignantly.

"Oh, right," Karamatsu said, closing his eyes and murmuring something under his breath. Osomatsu leaned against the wall until it suddenly disappeared, and he stumbled forward a little.

"Alright," he said, looking at Ichimatsu. The nun looked back at him with narrowed eyes, like he was waiting for some sort of attack. Osomatsu huffed, giving the man a soft slap on the back. "Let's go discuss this over some pancakes before we head out, shall we?"

He walked past Ichimatsu, so he couldn't see the look on his face after that, but judging from the soft smile decorating Choromatsu's, he guessed the nun was positively surprised over the friendly gesture.

The sun was disappearing behind the horizon when Osomatsu finally managed to sniff out the most probable place they would attract demons. They were deep in a forest, on the border between the two neighboring towns of the town Karamatsu's church was. He still hadn't found the interest to actually ask what that town was called.

The car ride there had been interesting, to say the least. He could only imagine how cramped it would've been in there if Ichimatsu had come with as well. Choromatsu and Jyushimatsu sat in the backseat, and with their big wings, there wasn't much space left even though there was a whole seat extra. He was glad they both had the ability to turn invisible, except it was weird knowing that they were sitting there when he couldn't see them. Apparently, they couldn't just hide their angelic traits like he could hide his demonic traits: it was all or nothing with them.

Karamatsu had brought his XXL cross, which was hanging around his neck along with his normal one, and he'd also brought his Bible, even though Osomatsu thought he wouldn't be able to use it. This wasn't an exorcism, it was an actual, mutual fight. When he'd told that to Karamatsu, he'd figured out, in a quite painful way, that devils shouldn't touch the Holy Bible, much less try to grab it from an actual priest. His hands still had blisters, which Choromatsu had refused to heal, because "that's what you get for acting like a child". He shook his head.

He turned to the rest of the group. "It's here," he said. "Get ready."

He couldn't see Jyushimatsu, but he could hear and feel his wings flap as he took hiding in the branches of a tree. Karamatsu disappeared into the shadows behind some thick tree trunks. Choromatsu was nowhere to be seen.

"I'll be standing right over there."

Osomatsu almost jumped out of his skin, and spun around. "Oh- Fuck, Choromatsu, don't do that," he said, putting a hand to his chest. Choromatsu gave a quiet giggle, his form slightly visible now, enough to make his voice audible.

"Sorry. Good luck." he said, before walking over to a fallen tree leaning against another one.

Osomatsu swallowed. Okay. He turned around, closing his eyes. Going into his demonic state was harder when he didn't think he was in immediate danger. When he'd fought with Tougou, he'd been aware, but the shock, and Tougou's overwhelming power, had left him feeling helpless. When he'd woken up from the nightmare and Choromatsu had scared him, it had been easy, because the dream had left him skittish, and the disorientation he'd felt when he'd woken up was enough to bring him off the edge. But now … He was very aware that he had an audience, and although danger would find him soon enough if he stayed here, it was still hard to find the right triggers in his brain to make the actual devil in him come out.

He took a deep breath, feeling electricity sparking through his body. He could feel his hands morphing into claws, and his teeth growing to be long and sharp and monstrous. The air around him shifted, lifting the dead leaves on the ground with it. He wasn't doing anything special – Just emitting energy. It was like flashing a light in the darkness. Someone should show up any mome-

He felt the blade splitting the air before he heard or saw it, and managed to deflect it with a slight force push. The knife fell lamely to the ground, and Osomatsu picked it up, throwing it after its original owner with a snarl. The blade split his skull before he had the time to react, and he fell limply to the ground.

Right after, two demons materialized in front of him, and he crouched, ready take whatever blow was coming from them. But then he heard something behind him, and he whirled around, just in time to see the demon hurling itself against him, its sword being swung through the air towards his neck. Just then, something hit him in his side, and he crashed to the ground. Osomatsu blinked, looking to where the attack had come from.

Karamatsu was standing there with his cross in his hands, looking just as surprised as Osomatsu felt. Osomatsu realized a little too late that he was standing far too much out in the open, just as the priest was suddenly flung backwards, crashing into a tree trunk behind him.

"Karamatsu!" Osomatsu yelled, but got no answer. His hopefully just unconscious, not lifeless, body slumped to the ground. He gritted his teeth, whipping around to look at the demon Karamatsu had attacked, but he'd joined the two others. Apparently they all knew who, as well as what he was, and that made them weary, but they didn't look ready to back down either. Three demons against one devil wasn't a fight where the winner could be predicted, although personally he'd put his money on the demons. Fortunately, he wasn't alone.

He heard a thump as Jyushimatsu jumped down from his tree, collecting Karamatsu in his arms and running to safety. Good – Jyushimatsu could heal whatever injury Karamatsu had gotten. But that left only himself and Choromatsu. He gritted his teeth, feeling himself falling further into the demonic state as the sense of danger only grew stronger. Choromatsu seemed to sense it as well, as he suddenly appeared in front of him, shooting some kind of bright light at the demons.

Two of them jumped away, while the third tried to deflect it with a shielding spell, but it didn't quite hold – He gave a pained groan, as the sound of etching skin filled the night. The other two took that as their cue to attack, and they ran forward, their weapons materializing in their hands. Osomatsu leaped forward, ducking under the sword swinging at him, then quickly slashing the demon across his face before jumping on him, sending him harshly to the ground. The demon gave a strangled cry as Osomatsu broke his wrist, throwing the sword away from them. He made gave a triumphant little laugh, then put his hands around the demon's head, and in the next second, his body went limp and his eyes rolled backwards into his head.

Victoriously, he jumped off him to see Choromatsu battling two of the demons at the same time. He looked surprisingly like he had everything under control, but then one of them shot a bullet of dark energy into his gut, sending the goddess sprawling across the ground. He didn't get up.

 _Shit._

The demons turned to him, looking like they'd already won – Like, if they could defeat a goddess, then a devil shouldn't be a problem, right?

They might be right about that. He took a hesitant step back, which probably didn't do much for the two demons' humility. Bitterly, he realized that he wasn't nearly as strong as he'd used to be when he'd still followed orders unquestioningly, and that his recent centuries as a more or less harmless devil had left him much weaker. Like when you stop going to the gym, and your muscles shrink and your stamina drops. He was already tired, having used a lot of his power by being in this form as well as using magic to knock out the demon from before.

His luck had failed him again. How can you expect nothing, and still be disappointed?

Just then, a third shadow came running out of the trees. Osomatsu's eyes widened as he realized it was a third demon. Oh, he was done for now- This plan had gone to shit, and in a few hours he would be placed in a cell to be executed the next morning, and Tougou would succeed in making the only relief in his immortal life, a literal living Hell-

The demon jumped at one of the demons, swinging its legs around his waist. The demon it'd jumped on stumbled forward, but before he could react, his throat was cut, and he fell to the ground, tremors racking through his body. The new demon moved quickly. It used the second demon's shock to its own advantage. He tried defending himself, but didn't get that far, as the other demon suddenly had its hand shoved into his chest, right where his heart was. He gave a strangled noise, his eyes bulging as if they were about to pop out. With a disgusting sound, his heart was ripped out, and he too crumbled to his knees, before falling to the side.

Osomatsu was too shocked to do anything. Everything had happened so quickly, his brain was still processing how to react to this unexpected event. The demon threw the heart away as if it was disgusted by it, before slowly turning to Osomatsu. His mouth fell open when he saw a familiar face.

"Hey, niisan," Todomatsu said, smiling sweetly as if he didn't have blood splattered across his face.

"T- Todomatsu…" Osomatsu managed weakly. Seeing his brother was like coming home for just a moment – The part of 'home' that actually lived up to the name. An incredulous smile spread across his face, before he flung himself at the other, wrapping his arms around him. Todomatsu returned the hug. They usually weren't particularly physical with each other, but this situation was special: After being on unknown territory for so long, seeing a familiar face that didn't want to kill him, and his brother nonetheless, was more than he'd ever hoped for.

Choromatsu groaned from his spot on the ground, making Osomatsu pull away from the hug. The goddess lifted his head, squinting at the scene in front of him. When he saw Todomatsu, his eyes widened. "Osomatsu, you-"

"It's okay!" Osomatsu quickly said, as Todomatsu moved to stand behind him, using him as some sort of human shield. Or, devilish shield? "He's a friend."

Choromatsu didn't look convinced. "Your friend?" he echoed.

Osomatsu just grinned. "Yeah. He's my brother."

"Niisan, what are you doing with a goddess?" Todomatsu whispered behind him.

He waved his hand. "Long story," he said, before walking over to Choromatsu to help him up. He accepted the assistance, but didn't take his eyes away from Todomatsu. He leaned heavily on Osomatsu's arm. The dark energy had obviously taken a toll on him, considering he'd already been weak before the fight.

Osomatsu turned his head to Todomatsu, who was looking just as suspicious at Choromatsu. He was going to say "he's on our side", but then he remembered that their side was basically the Heaven's side, and Todomatsu was not on that side. "Wait- Todomatsu, what are you doing here? Why did you kill them?" he asked.

"Listen," Todomatsu said, suddenly sounding desperate. "Everyone is looking for you. Including me, in a way. Tougou wants you to come back – I'm not even going to ask what happened between you two, I mean, why would you leave when you were about to become the prince of Hell? That was a shitty career choice you just made, if I might say. Anyway, once you're found, the search party will be called back to Hell, and _I don't want that._ You have to hide! You have to disappear, somehow!"

Osomatsu frowned. "So you're saying you saved me to save yourself?" he asked.

"What did you expect?"

"Fair enough."

"By the way – You were on my radar for a while, which brought me to this lovely little town. I met a man whose hand was broken - By you, I assume?" Todomatsu gave a lopsided smile. "Anyway, I'd almost found you, but then you suddenly disappeared into thin air. Where did you go?"

He tilted his head to the side. "Uh- I don't know," he said, frowning bewilderedly. It made sense that Todomatsu was able to find him, since they had a special bond, but he didn't expect him to be searching for him. He should've been able to find him easily, so that meant that he'd gone under the radar somehow. But how?

"The church," Choromatsu said. "You're the only one of your kind allowed in there. They can't sense you when you're there."

"That makes sense," he said, but bit his lip. "We should get back there before we attract more demons, then. Todomatsu –" He paused, a thought suddenly hitting him. "This is perfect. You have to come with us!"

Both Todomatsu and Choromatsu looked like they wanted to protest. "You can't just invite your demon friends into the church!" Choromatsu protested. "We don't know if we can trust him!"

"To be fair, you've been doing a lot of groundless trusting these last couple of days." he replied. "Think about it: We need information about what's going on. After we're done with the demon I knocked out, we can't send him back either way, so his information will become outdated after a while, and we can't just keep doing this every time our stock of information runs empty." He looked at Todomatsu. "Do you know about Tougou's plan, Totty?"

"About taking over the Surface? Of course," he said, grimacing. "I've been a little worried about that. I'm not ready for a war."

"Right? Well, we're planning on stopping him. The thing is, Tougou isn't looking for me because he wants me home safe and sound – He wants me home because he wants me dead, precisely because I'm against his plans and him sitting on the throne." He reached out for his brother, not wanting to walk away from Choromatsu in case he collapsed. "You have to help us stop him."

Todomatsu gave his hand a doubtful look. "Help you how?" he asked slowly.

"Tougou doesn't expect anything from you. You can be our spy!"

He scoffed. "Do you know how dangerous that is?" he asked, crossing his arms. "If I get caught, I'd be sentenced to death. You know that, right?"

Osomatsu shrugged. "I got sentenced to death too, it's not that bad. Besides, you want to save the Surface, right?" He sent him a challenging look.

Todomatsu hesitated. "I was hoping somebody else would do it," he mumbled.

Osomatsu looked at him for a few seconds, before giving Choromatsu's arm a light squeeze, untangling himself from his grip. He walked over to Todomatsu, putting a hand on each of his shoulders. "There isn't anyone else. Everyone is thinking what you are thinking. If we don't do anything, Tougou's plans will succeed, and there won't be a Surface to escape to anymore. Do you understand?"

His brother looked back at him with a gloomy look in his eyes. "I hate it when you're serious like that." he mumbled. Then he leaned his head backwards with a groan. "Fine. I'll think about it."

Grinning, Osomatsu ruffled the other's hair. "Awesome! Also, I'm really sorry about this,"

"Wha- _aagh…_ "

Todomatsu's body fell limp into Osomatsu's arms. A surprised sound came from Choromatsu.

"Why did you do that?" he demanded, as Osomatsu lifted his brother, bridal style.

"He can't know where we're going yet. Like you said, we can't just trust him like that," he said, giving a sad smile. He wasn't liking this either, but it was necessary. He turned to the dark trees, taking a deep breath. "Jyushimatsu!"

It took a few seconds, but the angel appeared, holding Karamatsu the same way Osomatsu was holding Todomatsu.

"Is he okay?" Choromatsu asked.

Jyushimatsu nodded. "Just unconscious. He had minor injuries, but he's okay now."

"Great," Osomatsu said. "I need you two to bring the demon and Totty to the car. I'm just going to erase our traces here, and I'll come after. Can you do that?"

"Yeah!" Jyushimatsu changed the way he was holding Karamatsu by throwing him older his shoulder instead. He walked over to Osomatsu, taking Todomatsu and doing the same with him. He didn't question why Osomatsu knew Totty by name, or why he had been cradling him like that, so he supposed the angel had heard their conversation.

Choromatsu turned to the unconscious demon lying on the ground. He made a swift hand motion, and the demon started to elevate, hovering above the ground as he drifted towards Choromatsu. The goddess gave him a stern look. "I hope you know what you're doing." he said, before starting to walk back the same way they'd come, trailing after an overly-enthusiastic Jyushimatsu.

"Yeah, me too," he mumbled, turning around again. He started making his way around the clearing with his eyes closed, making circular hand motions while muttering words under his breath, cleansing the ground and the surroundings for every trace of magic, so that if any demons came back here, they wouldn't be able to follow their footsteps back to the church. He was so focused on getting everything away, he didn't notice he wasn't alone in the clearing anymore.

"I knew you couldn't hide forever."

His blood froze, and he spun around, suddenly feeling like he couldn't breathe.

There, in the middle of the clearing, Tougou was standing, smiling just like he'd done in his nightmare.


	4. Chapter 4

They'd just gotten to the car when Choromatsu thought he heard Osomatsu's voice in the distance. He froze in his movements as he was currently tying up the demon, the one that wasn't Osomatsu's brother, in ropes to stuff him in the trunk, listening closely. Maybe it was just his imagination. Jyushimatsu didn't seem like he'd heard anything.

"I'm just going back to see what's going on with him," Choromatsu said. "Watch over the demons."

He wobbled back through the trees, too tired to jog or anything more tiresome than that. Being out in the woods in the dark, without the safety of his lake around him, was a new and strange feeling, and he couldn't say it was something he was enjoying.

A faint yell made him stop in his tracks, straining his ears. He stood there for a few seconds, hearing nothing but silence. Then, a shrill cry echoed through the night air.

 _Osomatsu._

He set into a run, ignoring how much his body protested. He wasn't accustomed to using his wings, as he'd never really needed to, but he let them carry him a few meters ahead if the trees were far enough apart, to move as fast as possible.

When he caught sight of the clearing, he almost stumbled in his own feet. Osomatsu was fighting – Or trying to fight at least – someone who was clearly much stronger, much more powerful than he was. Although Osomatsu's face was contorted in focus and fear, the man he was fighting looked like he found content in just playing with him. He was big – Clad in all black. His skin had a slightly gray tinge, and his eyes were black were the white should be, and his irises were glowing red. From them stretched dark veins, across his face and down his neck. His hands were claws, similar to Osomatsu's, except they were bigger and stronger-looking, and stained with blood.

Osomatsu's blood.

The man swung his fist, hitting Osomatsu solid in the head. The impact threw him a couple of meter away, and when he hit the ground, he struggled to get up again. His face was red from the blood running from a wound on his head, and he sat up, swaying back and forth, his eyes glazed over. The man grinned, walking towards him with a dark laugh. "So long, my child," he said, lifting his claw with impending finality.

Choromatsu ran forth, bringing his arms up. His wings spread to his sides. " _Eicio!_ " he shouted. An intense light shot out from his body, hitting the man in the chest. The energy sent him flying backwards a few meters, and when the light faded, he caught a glimpse of him staring intently at him, before dissolving into smoke and disappearing into the ground.

The moment he knew they were safe again, he ran over to Osomatsu, kneeling by his side. "Osomatsu? Can you hear me?" he asked, worry making his voice hoarse and desperate.

The devil turned his head towards him, looking like he was trying to focus but couldn't. "Choromatsu," he said, words slightly slurred. "Your… Your magic is really bright. I can't see a thing." He smiled faintly.

Choromatsu gave a relieved little huff. "Sorry," he said, examining his injuries. "I can heal y-"

"No- No, no more magic," Osomatsu slumped against his shoulder. "I have to cover our tracks, and then we go home." He stiffened a little at that, like he'd been surprised at his own choice of words. "I m- mean the church. Then you can heal me."

"Okay," Choromatsu said, putting a hand on Osomatsu's arm, helping him sit up straighter. "Can you stand?"

Osomatsu muttered a few words under his breath, something sounding like an incantation, and Choromatsu assumed it was the erasing spell. When he was done, he nodded slightly. "Yeah, I think so. I still can't fucking see, though," He squinted, blinking a few times. "How long until I can see again?"

Choromatsu shrugged. "I haven't gotten any reports of bi-effects from that attack before, since I usually don't chat with the demons afterwards," he said. "A human or an angel wouldn't have been blinded, but it's harmful for your eyes. I guess you'll see again in half an hour or so."

"Awesome," he said sarcastically.

"Hey, I saved your life." Choromatsu retorted.

Osomatsu got a little quiet, looking emptily into the air for a few seconds. He didn't know if it was because he was lost in thought, or because of the fact that he couldn't see properly at the moment. Then he took a sudden deep breath, and exhaled. He sent Choromatsu a quick smile. "You did. Thank you," he said. "Let's go back."

The two of them struggled to their feet. This time it was Osomatsu leaning on Choromatsu, although Choromatsu was scared his knees would buckle under him if he didn't get to sit down soon. Their way back through the forest was challenging. They walked in silence, focusing on putting one foot in front of the other. They were almost by the car when Choromatsu decided to voice the question he'd been wondering about since the fight.

"Osomatsu," he said. "Who was that?"

It took a long time before Osomatsu replied. He stared emptily ahead, his lips slightly parted. "It was my…" He trailed off, biting his lip. "Tougou. That was Tougou."

An uproar outside was what made Ichimatsu wake up from his accidental nap on the porch. He sat up from his layers of blankets and sheets, his hair just a little more messy than it usually was. He'd changed into his normal clothes when it had started getting dark, his nun habit too cold for the night air. Hoodie and sweatpants was one of the sweet reliefs of being a human.

Karamatsu's car came bumping down the road, and he was _pretty_ sure he could hear yelling coming from inside. It abruptly came to a stop, and he hurried down to the gates, opening them just in time to see Osomatsu open the door to the driver's seat

Of course, the worst case scenario was what his brain settled for.

"Where is he?" he demanded, not noticing the panic slipping into his voice.

Osomatsu had opened the door, but he wasn't getting out. He looked horrible, almost like he'd done when he came to the church the first time, except this time his entire face was splattered with blood. If it was his own or someone else's, he didn't know. It also seemed he didn't have any broken bones, but then again, that didn't stop him the last time. The devil leaned against the seat, looking up at Ichimatsu with unfocused eyes.

"He's okay," he said. "Just unconscious."

Just then, Jyushimatsu kicked the door open, crawled out of the car, before turning around, dragging Karamatsu after him. He looked completely fine, but then he _was_ unconscious. What could have happened back there?

Jyushimatsu smiled broadly at Ichimatsu. "Don't worry about him!" he said as he strutted past him, heading for the church. Ichimatsu looked after him with gritted teeth.

When he turned back, Choromatsu had had also exited, and was stretching his wings, apparently not caring enough to hide from civilians on this time of day. He looked tired as well, but not in the same way as Osomatsu: He looked worried, anxious, as if he'd been thinking about something for a long period of time, and it had become too much for him. Ichimatsu recognized that feeling, because it wasn't unknown to himself. His mouth was pulled down to a stiff frown, his brows were furrowed slightly, and his eyes were bloodshot.

He watched as the goddess walked to the trunk of the car, carefully pulling it open. Jyushimatsu came out again then as well, hurrying to Choromatsu's side. Choromatsu lifted a form out of the trunk: It wasn't big or scary or anything Ichimatsu had imagined when they said they'd bring a demon into their church. The demon didn't seem he'd been through much of a fight either – Except for the blood splattered across his chest and face, but it didn't look like it was his own. Aside from that, his unconscious face was pulled up in a soft smile, as if he was merely sleeping soundly.

Ichimatsu felt relieved – If this was the guy they'd get information from, surely it wouldn't take that much torture to make him speak. But then, Jyushimatsu hoisted another body out, throwing it over his shoulder. This demon looked more like the picture you'd first think of at the word "demon". He had dark, greasy hair hanging in front of his eyes, pale, wax-like skin, ripped with something that must have been claws.

Osomatsu stood shakily up when he caught sight of the demon Choromatsu was holding, worry openly spread across his face. Ichimatsu narrowed his eyes.

"What's going on?" he asked sternly, looking at all three of them.

Jyushimatsu looked like he didn't want to be a part of this. "I'll put him in the devil's trap," he said quickly, mumbling something about giving the demon allowance into the church, before practically running inside, leaving Ichimatsu alone with the devil and the goddess.

Choromatsu glanced at Osomatsu, who was giving Ichimatsu a look that could only be described as nervous. The devil averted his eyes, looking at the ground by Ichimatsu's feet.

"He, uh… That's my brother," he said, glancing up at Ichimatsu again. "I brought him here because we need him. I trust him."

"Is that why you knocked him out?"

Osomatsu grimaced. "I guess I don't trust him enough to show him exactly where this church is, or to let him go freely. I need to speak with him."

Ichimatsu walked over to him. "This wasn't what we discussed. It's dangerous." he said. For some reason he couldn't bring the anger into his voice because of the state Osomatsu was in right now. He looked aware of the dangers behind this choice, and also like he would collapse if he got just one more worry brought onto his shoulders. Damnit, he didn't want to sympathize with a devil, but…

"He's my brother, Ichimatsu," he said, almost pleadingly. "I- I can't… I couldn't just-"

Ichimatsu shook his head, and rubbed his eyes. "Whatever. Do what you want." he said, before quickly shuffling away from both of them. He might not be able to call out Osomatsu right now, but he surely wasn't going to comfort him either, no matter how pitiful he looked.

His temples were thundering when he slowly came back to reality. His head was lying to the side, and must have done so for a long time, judging by how stiff his neck was. He blinked his eyes open, giving a pained groan as he sat up. A red clad form sat a few meters in front of him, against the wall, and it took him a few moments to remember the events that had happened … Well, he couldn't be sure how much time had passed since then.

Osomatsu jumped awake, his eyes popping open like he was afraid someone was after him. "Todomatsu!" he squawked when he noticed he was conscious, scrambling to his feet.

Todomatsu tried moving, but then noticed that he was tied to the chair he was sitting in. He raised his eyebrows at his brother.

He gave a guilty grin. "Sorry… We have to take some precautions, even if it's you," he explained, rubbing his neck. "I trust you, but the other's don't, since you're – since we're, you know, supposed to be the _bad guys_." He made air quotes.

"What's going on? Where am I?" Todomatsu asked, giving a half-hearted attempt at getting free from the ropes. "Did you tie me-" He stopped, blinking when he remembered who'd knocked him out. " _You!_ You- you fucking-"

Osomatsu waved his arms frantically, glancing to the closed door behind him. "I'm sorry, Totty, but I had to. You can't know where we are just yet. I have to convince the other's that we can trust you first," he explained quickly, putting his arms on his shoulders.

"'The others'?" he echoed angrily. "Where are we?"

"In a church."

"A _church?_ " he snapped, giving another attempt to escape, just so he could slap his brother across the face. "Are you stupid? No, actually, I already know the answer to that. You're an _idiot._ It's bad enough that you're here, but you had to bring _me_ in here as well? We're not supposed to be here!"

"I know that, Todomatsu!" Osomatsu snapped. "Ever since I stepped foot in here I've felt out of place, but I can't think about that right now. This is the only place people won't be able to find me. It is, as weird as it is, the only place I'm safe."

Todomatsu stared at him for a few seconds, before he gave a deep sigh, his anger deflating as fast as it had grown. "Alright, I understand," he said, looking up at the ceiling. "How are you planning to convince the others, whom I still don't know who are, that I'm not evil, then? I mean, I guess I am, in their eyes."

Osomatsu laughed. "Yeah, same, but they seem to be warming up to me – some of them, at least. They're not as bad as you think, you know." he said, sitting back and putting his arms on Todomatsu's knees instead. "I just have to know you're in on this … mission." He winced at the word mission, as if it didn't sit right in his mouth.

Todomatsu gave a soft smile. "Having a fun time being in charge?" he asked playfully.

His brother scoffed, before his body practically melted against his legs. He rested his head limply on his knees, looking emptily into the air. "It's not the in charge part that is bad, to be honest. I like leading them, in a way, but it's much … harder than I imagined. Not that I ever imagined being in charge, but what I mean is I never know if I'm taking the right path, you know." He gave a long sigh. "I guess, even though it annoys me, their mistrust in me isn't completely unreasonable, even if you take away the part of me being a devil and everything. I'm not exactly the responsible type."

Todomatsu laughed. "That's true," he said. "Do you even know what you're doing?"

"I'll cross that bridge when I get to it," Osomatsu said. "I just know that I couldn't stay there. This isn't just about me liking the Surface – If Tougou takes over, I'll have _nowhere_ to hide. I'd be killed."

"So what you're saying is," Todomatsu said. "You're saving the Surface to save yourself?"

Osomatsu lifted his head to give him an amused look. "What did you expect?"

"Fair enough."

They both gave a giggle, Osomatsu leaning his forehead against Todomatsu's knees. Then there was silence.

Todomatsu sighed. "So you want me to spy on Tougou for you?" he asked quietly, looking up at the ceiling again. "I won't get that much information anyway, you know?"

"It doesn't matter. Something is better than nothing."

"What if I get caught?"

Osomatsu was silent. "Todomatsu…" he started, his voice merely a whisper. Todomatsu swallowed, his brows knitting together worriedly. Seeing his big brother like this was definitely not something you'd see every day. He couldn't remember to have seen him this worn out, ever. He had always been the one to, upon meeting obstacles in life, just shrug and say "oh well" and hope for the best, or just plain ignoring them. To suddenly be thrown into this chaos …

He interrupted before his brother could continue. "It's fine. I'll do it." Osomatsu didn't say anything, but he could feel him stiffen. "You're right. I don't want Tougou to conquer the Surface. I've never understood the people's fondness of him. He's such an asshole, to be honest. No offence."

"None taken," Osomatsu scoffed, sitting up. He looked at Todomatsu. His serious stare sent shivers down his spine. "Are you sure about this?"

He swallowed, but nodded slightly. "I'll… do what I can," he said, looking down to his lap. "Just stop looking like that. It's not – It's not _you._ "

Osomatsu tilted his head to his side confusedly, before he gave a chuckle. "Sorry," he mumbled, before standing up. He walked behind him, and the ropes came off soon after. He gave a relieved sigh.

"Those ropes were giving me blisters," he said, stretching his arms.

"Yeah, they may or may not have been dipped in holy water, knowing Karamatsu," Osomatsu said with a grimace. "You okay?"

Todomatsu stood up, and turned to his brother. He didn't say anything as he slipped his arms around his shoulders, hugging him tightly. It didn't matter that they usually didn't show affection like this: This was a whole different situation than they'd ever been in, and his brother honestly looked like he was on the brink of either passing out, or bursting into tears.

Osomatsu didn't hug back immediately, his body stiff from surprise, but when he did, his grip was tight, desperate, as if this was the last time they'd see each other. They stood like that for several long seconds. Todomatsu closed his eyes, brushing his hands through his brother's hair affectionately. Osomatsu leaned into the caress, his body becoming heavier as he gradually let his walls down and let himself be supported by Todomatsu.

"Hey, Totty?" Osomatsu murmured after a while. Todomatsu hummed in response. It took another few seconds before he said anything more. "… I'm really scared."

He pressed his lips together, craning his neck to press his face against the crook of his brother's neck. "You have reason to be," he said. He couldn't say something like "everything would be okay" or anything, because they both knew that wasn't a secured outcome. Not even a probably one. "But if we fall, we fall together, at least."

Osomatsu gave a soft huff. "That's what brothers are for, right?"

"Dragging each other down?"

"Well, when you say it like that…" He gave a laugh, pulling away from the hug. "You never show me affection like that, why can't you do that more often?"

Todomatsu rolled his eyes. "Ok, you ruined it," he said, taking a step back. "And, no, this was a rare moment, and I wouldn't count on it to happen again."

"So cold." Osomatsu grinned, before seemingly remembering something. "Right – There's a demon here I have to torture. Wanna come?"

Jyushimatsu, Ichimatsu and Karamatsu were the only ones in the nave now. Karamatsu was still unconscious, and they'd placed him on the ground beneath the cross on the wall. Jyushimatsu sat on his knees beside him, hovering his hands over his body while muttering incantations in an attempt to wake him faster. Not because he was injured, but because Ichimatsu looked ready to explode if the priest didn't stir any time soon. He was standing a few meter behind Jyushimatsu, probably thinking he couldn't hear him pacing back and forth like a worried mother.

"Has anything changed?" he asked.

Jyushimatsu shook his head. "Magic is really hard!"

He gritted his teeth, running a hand over his face. "I know," he mumbled. He walked over to Jyushimatsu, sitting down next to him with his knees against his chest. "This would have been easier if I could help."

"Niisan…"

"But there is a way, you know." Ichimatsu turned to him. His eyes were tired. He'd always seemed to be that way, but the behavior had worsened ever since he lost his wings. Now he also looked desperate, in a way. Helpless. Knowing Ichimatsu, Jyushimatsu knew that he'd end up doing reckless things to rid himself of that feeling, which was why he'd decided to watch over him in the first place, even if that meant breaking the rules. It had been months since that, and Jyushimatsu was happy his brother hadn't done anything dangerous during that time. But he knew it was coming. He knew what he was thinking right now.

"Don't do that," he said, letting his arms drop to his side. He sent Ichimatsu a trying smile. "This isn't that bad, is it?"

"That's easy for you to say," Ichimatsu retorted. "You have your wings. You have your magic. You can help, but I can't do shit. You don't know how it is."

Jyushimatsu's smile faltered a bit, but he shook his head. "It's dangerous, niisan. If you regret it-"

"Nothing is worse than this. I couldn't do it before, because the Heavens would never give me that privilege, but now we have Osomatsu. He … If he'd help me- He would help me, because that would help his cause, right?" Ichimatsu leaned his head on his knees. "Are there any difference between angels turned Reapers by the Heavens, and angels turned Reapers by Hell?"

Jyushimatsu shrugged. "Has it even happened before?" he asked. "There aren't many angels turned Reapers at all. Most of them come from Hell."

"Why do you think that is?" Ichimatsu asked. "Is it because they don't have the conscience to kill people? Even if it's fate? Is it because they have it good as it is? Is it because they can't handle the pain that follows of sending someone to the other side?"

"I don't know, niisan."

"Because I can handle all of that," he continued, voice harder now. "My apathy was what got me kicked out in the first place. Even being a Reaper would be better than this. And the pain… well," He shrugged. "I wouldn't know how that is, but I can probably deal with that as well. Besides, Reapers work pretty independently, right? There's no quota for how many souls I'd have to condemn each day. There's no particularly hard rules I'd have to follow. I don't see how this is a bad idea."

"It's dangerous!" Jyushimatsu tried again, waving his arms as if trying to convey just _how_ dangerous it was. "Hell has never been safe, but it's definitely not safe now. If you get caught-"

"Reapers are neutral beings, aren't they? If I get to the lake before anyone knows I'm there, I can leave without any problems."

Jyushimatsu made a concerned noise, bumping his head into Ichimatsu's shoulder. "What about Osomatsu-niisan?"

"Osomatsu- _niisan_?" Ichimatsu echoed, wrinkling his nose. "What about him?"

"Do you think he'll come with you to Hell?"

Ichimatsu was quiet for a few moments, his shoulders rising and sinking with his breath. "Probably not. But I'll have to figure something out." He frowned thoughtfully. "Maybe… possession?"

" _Niisan_!"

"It would be less suspicious that way. That way I might not even need to worry about being seen – Besides, it's the quickest way to Hell."

Jyushimatsu clenched and unclenched his fists. "Possession is the last thing we want!" he protested.

"You're the one who thinks that Osomatsu doesn't want us any harm, right?" Ichimatsu shot back. "Don't you understand that this is the only way I can help?"

"Can't you study exorcism with Karamatsu-niisan?" Jyushimatsu proposed, taken aback by Ichimatsu's outburst. Ichimatsu seemed to notice, and lowered his gaze, settling back into his previous position.

"I don't want to be human, Jyushimatsu," he murmured. "I've already decided. Anything is better than this."

Jyushimatsu looked at him for a few seconds, before scooting over to him. He put his arms around him, and let his wings embrace both of them, just like he'd done the day before. "Okay," he said. "In any case, I'll be on your side no matter what, of course! You know that, right?"

The slightest of smiles graced Ichimatsu's lips, and he leaned into the embrace. "I know," he said, before faltering a bit. "Ditto." he added quietly. Jyushimatsu grinned broadly, before getting up on his knees to put all of his weight on his brother, sending them both to the floor. Ichimatsu gave a disgruntled sound, but it was drowned out by Jyushimatsu's laughter.

The first thing he saw when he woke up was Jesus. Which _should_ have been something he'd be happy about, but he wasn't ready to die just yet. Then he realized the Jesus he was looking at was made of wood, crucified on the cross behind his altar.

He heard laughter right beside him, and gave a quiet groan, turning over to see who it was. Just a second later, Ichimatsu was up in his face, with an intense look in his eyes.

"Shittymatsu!" he barked. "You attacked a _demon_? Are you stupid?"

"Don't worry, Karamatsu-niisan, Ichimatsu-niisan is just worried." Jyushimatsu said, plopping into his range of vision. "You got real beat up though!" He laughed loudly.

Karamatsu frowned, before sitting up carefully. "What?" was the first thing he said. Then he remembered what had happened. "Oh."

" _Oh._ " Ichimatsu mimicked, rolling his eyes. "You could have gotten yourself killed."

"Osomatsu needed help." Karamatsu tried, but shut up when he saw Ichimatsu's death stare.

"How do you feel?" Jyushimatsu asked, his face suddenly uncomfortably close to his own.

Karamatsu blinked, before trying for a smile. "I'm okay. I can't remember much of what happened, but…" He trailed of, his eyes falling to the floor. "Ah… It seems my studying is of no use if I can't try it out in real life. I have to become stronger, somehow. Like my parents." He glanced at Ichimatsu, who was now looking to the floor with half lidded eyes. His words from right before Jyushimatsu had made his grand entrance was far from forgotten, but at least he seemed to regret them now. Which was almost as good as an apology, coming from Ichimatsu.

He folded his hands together, looking to the cross above him. "If … If what Osomatsu says is true, then I want to be of help, and right now I can't." he said. Ichimatsu glanced at him with a curious look in his eyes, and Jyushimatsu turned his head back and forth to look at them both.

"What do you wanna do?" Jyushimatsu asked.

He shrugged, giving a weak smile. "I haven't gotten that far yet. I guess I'll have to perform actual exorcisms. Work more out in the field, you know."

Ichimatsu made a noise. "That's dangerous."

"It's dangerous." Jyushimatsu agreed.

"But I have to do something," Karamatsu said. "I wasn't any help at all – How long have I been out?"

"It's early in the morning." Ichimatsu said. "You were out for a few hours. Jyushimatsu's been healing you."

Karamatsu blinked, turning to the angel. He nodded towards him. "Thank you, Jyushimatsu."

"No problem at all!" Jyushimatsu said, grinning broadly. "I healed your serious wounds first, but Ichimatsu insisted I'd heal you more to wake you up quicker!"

Ichimatsu was making a face beside him. "Was not." he protested, getting to his feet. "Whatever. I'm going to get some food. Jyushi, make sure Shittymatsu doesn't do anything stupid again." He was out the front doors soon after, with ears red from embarrassment.

When the doors closed, Karamatsu smiled softly, feeling warm in his stomach. He looked over to Jyushimatsu, who was still smiling with his mouth open. When he saw Karamatsu was looking at him, he leaned forward on his arms.

"Do you need something? Water?" he asked.

He shook his head, giving the angel a slightly strained smile. No matter how hard he tried, talking to a Heavenly being with wings on his back wasn't something he would get used to, at least not for the time being. Even when he acted much more… Well, human might not be the right word, but not because he was acting how one would think an angel should act. No, Jyushimatsu was … neither something he'd expect from an angel, or a human. Either way, he would take some getting used to.

"I feel great, don't worry," he said, getting to his feet as well. Jyushimatsu followed his lead, quickly jumping to his feet. The two of them looked at each other for a moment, before Karamatsu gave a laughing huff. "Really. You did a good job with that healing, it seems."

Jyushimatsu's eyes glittered and his smile somehow became even wider. " _Really_?" he exclaimed, throwing his arms in the air. "Score! Maybe my magic skills got better!"

Karamatsu grinned as well. "I'm sure they have," he said, even though he had no idea how his 'magic skills' had been like before. He glanced over to the other side of the nave, to the room he liked to call a kitchen, even if it missed most of the typical kitchen supplies and furniture. At least he had a portable stove and a coffee machine. "Do you want some coffee, Jyushimatsu?"

"Coffee? Is it good?"

He blinked. "Uh, it's … an acquired taste. You can try it, if you want," he said, for a moment remembering how much of his daily life must be alien to Jyushimatsu. Then he remembered that Ichimatsu used to be an angel as well, which explained his strange behavior over the past months. He wrote behind his ear to apologize to Ichimatsu if he'd made his situation harder than it already was.

Jyushimatsu was talking about something, but Karamatsu had spaced out just long enough to not have any clue of what it was, so he just nodded and made acknowledging sounds as they walked into the kitchen, and he started preparing a cup for each of them. On second thought, maybe Jyushimatsu would be better off without the extra energy. But then again, maybe caffeine didn't affect angels anyway.

He had his back turned to the angel, but he could hear him as he simply plopped down on the floor. "Hey, Jyushimatsu," he started carefully. "Please, if you don't mind me asking - Could you tell me a bit of Ichimatsu's past? His behavior has always puzzled me, and now that I know the truth, I fear that I've treated him unfairly. I've been making him help me with synods and such, but if he was thrown out of Heaven, then maybe … maybe worshipping God isn't exactly something he favors at the moment."

"No, Ichimatsu still serves God," Jyushimatsu said. "He's just, ah… sad, right now. And I'm afraid he'll do something reckless. Both of you are equally as stupid and reckless, so he's really a hypocrite for calling you that!" He laughed.

Karamatsu frowned. "Reckless how?"

He was met with silence, which was unusual for Jyushimatsu, as far as he knew. He started turning around to see if the angel had walked away without him noticing, but found him still sitting on the floor, with a grin on his face, but somehow still with worry in his eyes. "He wants to get his magic back," he said, his voice slightly quieter. "Whatever it takes, he wants to get his magic back, and I'm …" He trailed off, before suddenly shaking his head, jumping to his feet. "No matter! I'll support him no matter what! He's my brother after all! Is the coffee ready soon?"

Karamatsu blinked at the sudden change of topic, and took that as a cue to let the matter go for the moment. He could get back to it later … Whatever Ichimatsu was planning didn't feel right, with the cheery Jyushimatsu reacting like that to it. "Yes, in just a moment," he said. "Then, for another topic, I was wondering if you'd witnessed an exorcism before?"

"It's a long time ago, but yes!"

"Then, can you… maybe, somehow, sense if there's a demon nearby?" Karamatsu tried on. "Because I need to, you know, practice fighting demons. I need to perform an actual mantra that can hurt them, that is useful in a fight … Something that doesn't knock me out on the first try."

Jyushimatsu was jumping from one foot to another now. "Karamatsu-niisan," he started – The title still making Karamatsu's chest tighten with … something. Something he couldn't explain at the moment. "I can do that, but it's not a good idea. We should try to find a way that's not as dangerous."

He pouted a little, and turned around to pour coffee into the mugs. "But it's not enough. I can't just learn this from books or from my parent's documentations." He walked over to Jyushimatsu and reached him one of the coffee cups. "You're probably right – I will get hurt. But … If it's for the greater good …"

Jyushimatsu reached out suddenly to take his hand. He held it tightly in his own, giving Karamatsu a reassuring beam. "We'll figure this out! It's gonna be oka –"

Both of them jumped when a shrill scream split the calmness of the church. It came from the basement. The two looked at each other, before they both left their coffees on the table, dashing towards the ruckus.

Osomatsu turned the corner to find Choromatsu leaning against the wall, looking at the unconscious demon tied to a chair in the middle of the devil's trap. Todomatsu followed closely behind him, gripping his upper arm, carefully observing his surroundings, as if he thought something would attack him any minute. When he saw the goddess, he squeezed his arm. Osomatsu gave him a reassuring grin.

"It's okay, Choromatsu is harmless," he said, in which Choromatsu turned to give him a look. When he saw Todomatsu, he straightened his back, giving him another look that weren't exactly friendly.

"Why is he loose?" he asked.

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" Osomatsu retorted, not liking his tone.

Choromatsu blinked, before glancing at Todomatsu. Then he averted his eyes with a mix between shyness and stubbornness. "Wh- Whatever," he mumbled, turning to the demon again. "He's still out. How are you planning to do this without getting stuck in the trap yourself."

"Knowing him, he will get trapped at some point. Can you undo the trap?" Todomatsu asked, obviously trying to punch his way through the barrier that was between him and the goddess. Probably in an attempt to obtain dominance, and not to be friends.

Osomatsu gave him a look. "You have so little faith in me," he whined. "I know what I'm doing. At least … somewhat. Also, Karamatsu can do that. Choromatsu, in the bathroom there's a bucket with a spray bottle in it. I need you to go fill it with water, and … I don't know, put your hand in it or something? Like in your lake, I need it to be holy."

"You're going to spray him with holy water?" Choromatsu asked. "With a spray bottle?"

Osomatsu shrugged. "We don't have a water gun, so."

The goddess gave a snort. "Alright," he said, turning to walk away. "Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone." He glanced shortly at Todomatsu, pressing his lips together, before hurrying past them.

When the door slammed shut down the hall, Todomatsu exhaled. "Do you think he's scared of me?" he asked, a hopeful tone in his voice.

"Probably not when you're hiding behind me like that," Osomatsu said. "And, not to crush your dreams or anything, but a goddess is much stronger than a demon."

Todomatsu scoffed. "Anyway," he said, letting go of Osomatsu to walk over to the devil's trap, careful not to step over the line. "You really did this guy in. Didn't know you had it in you." He turned around, grinning.

Osomatsu giggled, rubbing the underside of his nose. "I'm a little out of practice, I'll admit. It was exhausting," he said, walking up to his brother. He leaned on his shoulder, studying the unconscious demon. The chair was placed closely to the end of the circle, making it easier for Osomatsu to inflict whatever torture he wanted on the man. "It's been a while since I've done anything like this as well."

"Don't you think you have the guts?" Todomatsu asked.

Osomatsu was quiet for a moment, listening to his gut, then shook his head. "It's alright," he said, shrugging. "It's not like I avoided killing anyone because of my conscience. It's just bothersome."

"What does your goddess think of that?" Todomatsu then asked, earning a frown from Osomatsu.

" _My_ goddess?" He gave a huff. "Choromatsu knows what I am. If he expects me to act as anything else, he's wrong, and that's just the way it is. And he's not _mine._ "

Todomatsu grinned, then shrugged. "I'm just saying, a friendship between a goddess and a devil is … I can't remember to have heard about it, like ever. Normally, you would naturally repel each other. How did you even become friends?"

He became quiet, the word _friends_ hanging heavily in the air. "Uh, I don't … I don't know if 'friends' is the word to describe this, but basically I was bored, so we had a chat, and then I accidentally put his life in danger, and I needed his help, he needed mine, and," He shrugged. "Here we are."

His brother hummed. "In this situation, I guess we have no choice but to stick together," he said. "I still think it's weird how well you're getting along, though."

"Is it really?" Osomatsu asked, tilting his head to the side. "I guess it is."

He heard the door open down the hall, and Choromatsu came back with the bottle in his hand, a frown on his face. "I tried touching and blessing it, but I don't know if it worked," he said, walking up to Osomatsu and Todomatsu. He reached Osomatsu the bottle.

Taking it, Osomatsu peered suspiciously at the water, before pointing it at Todomatsu. "Take one for the team?"

"Niisan!"

"I'm kidding!" he laughed, throwing his head back. "We can use it on this guy, though." He turned around, spraying the unconscious demon's hand. A sizzling sound filled the room, and the man jolted awake with a shocked scream.

Choromatsu's hand was suddenly gripping his arm. Osomatsu gave him a questioning look, and the goddess quickly let go. Mentally shrugging, he looked back at the demon, who was desperately trying to get loose from the ropes binding him to the chair, while the skin on his hand etched away.

"It worked," Osomatsu said to Choromatsu, a content grin on his face. "Thanks."

Choromatsu nodded weakly. "You're welcome." he said.

"Where am I?" the demon demanded. He squinted at them, giving them an angry look each, before letting his eyes rest on Osomatsu. "You," he said. "Son of Toug- _Aagh!_ "

"Oh, I'm sorry," Osomatsu said, after spraying his face with holy water as well. He held up the bottle, giving it a mock shocked look. "My hand acted on its own. What were you saying?"

Choromatsu backed away from them, standing by the wall instead. Todomatsu stayed by his side, giving the demon a disinterested look.

The demon clenched his eyes shut, grunting in pain as he squirmed in the chair. "Tougou wants you to come back," he spat. "And you're here with a _goddess._ I always knew there was something suspicious about you."

"Really, for how long?" Osomatsu prompted. "Because honestly, I have been a good-ish boy for the past decades, it's just recently I decided to spread my wings and all that shit."

The demon scowled at him, before looking at Todomatsu. "And you," he said. "You're still in training. I've seen you."

"And I've seen you," Todomatsu replied, shrugging. "You're in training as well. You're not the type to catch up on gossip, but you're known to be _such_ a tool. Not that it matters anymore. I'm not going back there, and neither are you."

The demon stiffened, his eyes sliding back to Osomatsu. "What do you want?" he asked, voice hoarse.

Osomatsu leaned forward. "I want you to tell me what Tougou is planning," he said. "We know he wants to take over the Surface, and then the Heavens. What are his strategies?"

The demon's jaw dropped. "You're a traitor," he said. "Telling you that would be treason. I would be killed."

"Really?" He lifted the spray bottle again, and the demon's eyes widened with alarm. "Are you sure you don't wanna tell?"

"I can't te-" He screamed when Osomatsu sprayed him again, this time on the hand, just to be nice.

Just then, the door slammed open. Osomatsu turned around to see Jyushimatsu and Karamatsu appearing in the corridor seconds later. Jyushimatsu gave a shocked "Ah!" at the scene before him, while Karamatsu's jaw dropped, his brows furrowing dramatically.

"Ah, Karamatsu- You feeling alright?" Osomatsu asked, physically feeling the nervousness radiating off his brother. "Good game last night, eh?" He grinned.

The priest blushed crimson, looking to the floor for a moment. "Ah, y- yeah," he said, rubbing his neck. "Anyway, uh- Why is there- Why are you-" He gestured vaguely to Todomatsu, who moved slightly closer to Osomatsu, probably subconsciously.

"Oh, right. He's my brother," Osomatsu explained, throwing his arm around Todomatsu's shoulders. "Isn't he cute?"

"Osomatsu-niisan." Todomatsu growled under his breath.

"What the hell is this?" the demon snapped behind them. "Is that a fucking angel? And a _priest_?"

Osomatsu rolled his eyes, turning to face the demon again. "Do you want holy water in your eyes?" he asked, lifting the bottle. "Because you'll get it if you don't shut up, don't test me." He gave him a challenging look, before turning back to Karamatsu. "So?" he continued, grin back in place, completely ignoring the death stares coming from Todomatsu.

"Uh – Yeah, sure…?" Karamatsu answered, looking lost.

Todomatsu took a small step forward. "You were the one who put holy water on the ropes you tied me up with?" he asked. His voice was somewhat insecure, but he covered it up skillfully. Osomatsu was probably the only one who noticed. "That was unpleasant."

Karamatsu looked like a deer caught in headlights. "I'm terribly sorry," he said quickly, waving his arms in front of himself. "They are the only ropes we have here – I didn't even know if they'd work that way."

Jyushimatsu seemed to react to the tense air in the room, and took that as his cue to stride forward to reach Todomatsu his hand. "I'm Jyushimatsu! Nice to meet you!" he said – well, he yelled, but that was the same as saying something normally for Jyushimatsu, it seemed.

Todomatsu seemed to regret that step he'd just taken, backing away slightly at the angel's boldness. He gave Osomatsu a questioning look, but only got an impish smile in return. He looked back at Jyushimatsu. "… I'm Todomatsu," he said slowly, before trying to give his hand a light shake. Unfortunately for him, Jyushimatsu had other plans, taking a good hold of his hand to shake it vigorously.

"Also known as Totty." Osomatsu supplied.

"Totty!" Jyushimatsu repeated excitedly.

The tiniest of smiles twitched at the corners of Todomatsu's mouth, but he didn't say anything more, retracting his hand with a little difficulty.

"Okay – Uh, Todomatsu, everyone – That's Choromatsu and Karamatsu, as you already know," Osomatsu said quickly, before turning around to the demon again, who was looking at them like he wasn't sure if this was really happening. "Now, back to torture. You-" He paused, looking back at the others. "Are you just gonna… watch, or…?"

Choromatsu, who had been quiet the whole time, raised his eyebrows. "I have to make sure you don't do anything stupid," he said.

"Probably a good idea." Todomatsu said, smirking at Osomatsu.

"We heard a scream, so we were going to check what was going on." Karamatsu explained.

Osomatsu shrugged. "Suit yourself," he said, again turning to the demon. "Alright. Where were we? Oh – Tougou's plans."

"Why are you opposing him? Why don't you want the Surface to –" He screamed again as his face got sprayed, squirming violently in his seat. His shriek echoed in the room.

"Aren't you getting enough of this?" Osomatsu asked. "Holy water sucks, I know. Just tell me Tougou's plans, and this will be over."

The demon spat on him. "Fuck you," he said. "How weak do you think I am?"

"Gross," Osomatsu commented, before scoffing. He elbowed Todomatsu. "No offence, Totty. But dude, you're a _demon._ Compared to me, you're actually kind of weak."

"Are you trying to become friends with this guy or?" Todomatsu asked, obviously offended. "Why are you making conversation with him?"

"Right," Osomatsu chuckled, rubbing the underside of his nose. "Sorry – _Sploosh!_ " He sprayed the demon again. He gurgled, trying to keep down the screaming. "I'm starting to think this spray bottle isn't doing the trick. How about a bucket next time? Karamatsu, could you get a bucket of water and bless it?"

"Right away!"

"Great," Osomatsu tilted his head, giving the demon an impatient look. "Having second thoughts yet?"

The demon flared his nostrils, giving him a cocky, disgusting smile. "I'm not a traitor, as you are. No wonder why Tougou is this desperate to get to you. I can't wait to see you at the gallows." he said, not once breaking eye contact. Osomatsu narrowed his eyes. The guy had guts, he could admit. Not that it did him any good.

"You won't," he said. "Partly because he won't get to me, partly because you're not leaving this place."

The demon scoffed, smiling as if he were the one with the upper hand. "You're so arrogant. You underestimate your father."

"Shut up." His chest tightened with anger. "If you call him that one more time…"

"What? Your _father_?"

He gritted his teeth, flinging the bottle straight into the demon's face. Not only did the impact tip the chair over, but the plastic smashed to pieces, spilling the water everywhere. Todomatsu reacted quickly, stumbling backwards, but Osomatsu wasn't that smart. A few droplets landed on him as well, distracting him from his anger, just for a moment. Jyushimatsu gave a surprised sound.

"Ah, shit," he grunted, but it was drowned in the demon's pained shrieking. He put his hands to his face, his fingers hovering over the etched skin.

"Nice work, niisan," Todomatsu commented dryly.

"Shut up," Osomatsu groaned, grimacing as he let his hands fall again. "How do I look?" he asked, giving a trying smile.

"Like a horror movie!" Jyushimatsu supplied. Osomatsu wrote behind his ear to ask him later how he'd watched horror movies, or movies in general, being an angel and all.

"Jesus Christ," Choromatsu mumbled, walking up to him.

"Not helping, Choromatsu," Osomatsu retorted, but let him heal his wounds without any more complaints. He closed his eyes, feeling warmth on his skin as the pain gradually disappeared. He heard Todomatsu walk up beside him, and when the warmth subsided, he opened his eyes to see his brother giving him an incredulous look. He glanced at Choromatsu.

"That's… handy," he said.

Choromatsu averted his eyes for a moment, before looking back at him. He gave a trying smile. "Especially when it comes to Osomatsu," he said. "He's an idiot."

"I can imagine," Todomatsu said with a small giggle. Jyushimatsu gave a laugh as well, noticeably louder than his brother's.

Osomatsu rolled his eyes. "Okay, I appreciate you trying to get along and all, but let's try not to do it at my expense, alright?" he said, smiling lopsidedly.

The door then opened, and he could hear Karamatsu giving a bothered sound before he started walking through the corridor, his steps slower than on the way out, but still fast enough to remind Osomatsu of some excited puppy. Which was the second time Karamatsu had done that. When he rounded the corner, he could hear the water splash violently inside the bucket.

"I think it worked," he said, putting the bucket down. He looked to the devil's trap, frowning at the demon who was now lying on his back with his feet in the air. "What's going on?"

"Niisan had a temper tantrum," Todomatsu explained, grinning at Osomatsu's disgruntled expression. He walked over to Karamatsu and looked into the bucket. "You think it worked? What if it didn't?"

"There's only one way to find out!" Osomatsu said, waltzing over to the bucket. He picked it up, walking around the devil's trap to look at the demon again. "You alive down there?"

The demon didn't answer.

Sighing, he crouched down, giving the demon a disinterested look. "Listen," he said. "I'm gonna give you another chance, because I'm nice like that, right? If you don't tell me what you know, I'll dump this bucket of holy water on you. It will etch through all of your skin, your muscles – Your bones will probably be visible in the end. Your clothes will get wet as well, making the stinging last for hours. Also, let's not forget your eyes. Guess the last thing you're gonna see is the ceiling of this room, eh?"

The demon pressed his lips together. "If I tell, I'll be killed," he spat.

"Which fate is worse?" Osomatsu retorted. "Don't you think I'll kill you if I deem you useless?"

"The choice might seem obvious to you, but I'm not a fucking coward," the demon said, looking up at him with hatred in his eyes. And fear. Fear was most definitely present. Osomatsu smiled.

"Of course not," he said, taking a deep breath. "Ah, I guess I have no choice, then." He stood up lifting up the bucket. "One, two, and-"

"Wait!"

He stopped, raising his eyebrows at the demon. "Yeah?"

"I … I know something," he said, averting his eyes. He paused for a few seconds, before looking back at Osomatsu. "I know that whatever childish plan you've come up with, you're going to fail. An irresponsible failure of a devil like you – You're just leading these _friends_ of yours into anguish and death. You-"

Osomatsu tipped the bucket over, pouring the water harshly over the demon. He wailed piercingly, his guttural voice ripping through the air, echoing against the walls. He really hoped this room was soundproof, or else the neighbors would surely come crowding. When the water was all out, he threw the bucket carelessly away, looking at the demon as he squirmed and moaned, his skin disgustingly red and glistening. His eye sockets looked sunken already. Then he was quiet, probably passed out from the pain, and the only sound left was the sound of sizzling skin.

Osomatsu looked back at the others. Out of the four members of his audience, three of them were looking at him with fear in their eyes, though all in different ways. Karamatsu was the worst – He had backed up against the wall, his eyes big and round, his skin white as a sheet. Jyushimatsu was the same, although he was still smiling, as if trying to overcome whatever had frightened him so much. Choromatsu was looking at him with the same expression he'd worn the night before, when he'd woken him from his nightmare.

He looked down on his hands, which had formed into claws without him even noticing. He guessed his overall appearance wasn't looking any better. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.

This rage had been different from before. He hadn't noticed it creeping up on him. He hadn't noticed that the demon's words had affected him at all. It was cold, heartless, dangerous. And he hadn't even managed to identify the feeling before he'd acted on it.

How's that for a temper tantrum, Totty?

"Sorry," he murmured, looking to Todomatsu. He was looking at him with a fairly neutral expression, although he could spot empathy in there as well. "Got carried away."

"You sure did," Todomatsu agreed, walking up to him. He put a hand on his arm, giving him a serious look. He lowered his voice. "This guy can wait. You need to calm down, so you don't scare away all your new friends."

Osomatsu huffed slightly, but nodded. "You're right."

"Of course I am."

He looked back at the others, giving them a trying smile. "I'm taking a break," he announced, walking towards the corridor. He stopped hesitantly, looking to each one of them. "I, uh… Didn't mean to, you know…" He shrugged uneasily, looking at Karamatsu in particular. "Didn't mean to scare you." he finished.

Karamatsu blinked. "Ah… That's- That's okay," he stammered. He gave a weak laugh. "This is the sort of events that I must get used to as an exorcist anyway."

Osomatsu huffed laughingly, sending him a lopsided smile. "I guess it is," he said.

Then he exited the room, Todomatsu following closely behind him.

Ichimatsu stared up at the towering church before him. This one was the town's "main" church, the one most people went to. The people who visited Karamatsu's church were mostly either people who didn't like big crowds, or some weirdoes that thought it was special in some sort of way. Maybe it was. With the devil's trap in the basement, and Karamatsu's insistence that his parents had been great exorcists, it might've used to be something special. If it was now, he didn't know.

That had nothing to do with why he was here. For both Heavenly beings and Hellish beings, to become a Reaper, you had to cut the relations with your previous "home". In this case, Ichimatsu had it easier – His home was no longer his home anyway, so he didn't really have anything to lose. He knew many people rejected the thought of becoming a Reaper because they didn't want to give away what they already had: A family, a place of belonging, and almost most importantly, their powers. Ichimatsu didn't have any powers anymore. He didn't belong anywhere, and neither did his brother now, because of him.

He knew Jyushimatsu was against this idea, but he had also said that he'd stay with him no matter what, and he believed him. Not that he could understand why, but his brother had already proven it countless times before.

So there really was nothing stopping him. He couldn't do it on Karamatsu's holy grounds, out of fear of being discovered by Jyushimatsu. He couldn't let him convince him to not do this now. He could pretend not to worry about the outcome of this as much as he wanted, but both he and Jyushimatsu knew that he was just as afraid of this as anyone. This was the closest to courage he could get.

He got down on his knees. Around him, gravestones were scattered, some bigger and nicer than others. He wasn't sure if being amongst the dead while cutting threads with your previous source of power would make his transformation a bit easier, but it wouldn't hurt to try. He folded his hands and closed his eyes, leaning his forehead against his knuckles.

"Lord Jesus, Heavenly father," he started. His voice was hoarse with anticipation and anxiety. It had been a long time since he prayed. His words came out hesitantly and inelegantly, but it didn't matter. "You are … You were my home, my counselor and my path. You are almighty and always forgiving. Yet … I'm down here, without wings and without … without You. For a long time I have looked up to the Heavens in hope of … of something. But I have realized that I'm never going back up there. Therefore I've decided …" He trailed off, taking a shaky breath. He clenched his eyes shut, tensing up before spitting out the next words. "I've decided to abandon the Heavens for good. I am no longer a follower of God."

There was a rumbling from the sky, making him scramble up from his sitting position. He stared up in alarm, half convinced that a lightning bolt would shoot him down any moment. The sky was clouded over, and the rumbling continued for a few seconds before subsiding. For several moments, he held his breath. Nothing happened.

Then lighting streaked across the sky, followed by violent thundering. Suddenly, Ichimatsu felt as if somebody reached into his chest, gripping his very soul to rip it out. He choked, a silent scream on his lips, before his knees buckled under him and he fell to the ground, face first.

His whole body felt limp, but he thought he would have remained on the ground even if he had the chance to stand up. His heart was hammering with fear, and he felt like he was going to throw up. The thundering and lightning disappeared after a few minutes, but was replaced with rain and cold wind.

He didn't know how long he remained in a fetal position on the ground, curled up against some person's tombstone. A gush of wind and the sound of flapping wings, followed by a muffled thud, betrayed Jyushimatsu's arrival.

"Niisan!" he exclaimed, running up to him. He kneeled by his side, easily lifting him up by his shoulders. Jyushimatsu had always been freakishly strong. And although they were almost exactly the same age, Ichimatsu was a few moments older, so it was kind of weird that the younger was taking care of the older, even though it should be the other way around. But it had always been like this, hadn't it? Ichimatsu gave a quiet chuckle. "Ichimatsu-niisan," Jyushimatsu said, quieter now. He held him around his neck, and his head lolled limply onto his chest. "What did you do?"

Ichimatsu had to take a few moments to form the words in his head. "You… know it already," he croaked. He squinted up at him. "People are gonna see your wings."

Jyushimatsu looked around himself. "Nobody's out. It's raining," he said.

"I know. I'm cold."

"Let's get you home."

"Where's that?"

Jyushimatsu stiffened, looking down at him with an uncharacteristically worried look on his face. "Niisan…" he said quietly, before bending down, pressing his lips against his forehead. "Home is where your family is. It's gonna be okay." He slid his arms underneath Ichimatsu's legs, holding him close to his chest as he stood up. With a gust of wind, they were flying. He could feel the air get colder as they flew higher and higher, the wind and the rain brushing violently through his hair and over his skin.

Ah. It felt good to fly again.

Moments after Osomatsu had wobbled out of the room with Todomatsu, Jyushimatsu had given a frightened gasp, looking around himself as if suddenly seeing ghosts. Then he'd bolted out of the room without a word, leaving Choromatsu alone with Karamatsu.

"Jyushi-" Choromatsu had started, but didn't get to finish before the door slammed open and the angel disappeared. He shared confused looks with Karamatsu, who still looked shaken from the previous events.

Choromatsu tilted his head to the side. "You should get some air," he said, not liking the green tinge on Karamatsu's skin. "Or something to drink."

"Whiskey would be okay," he admitted, smiling weakly. "I'll be right back." He leaned against the wall when he walked away.

Choromatsu turned to the demon lying on the floor. From this position, he could only see his legs and the underside of the chair. He slowly walked up to him, dreading the sight that would meet him. When he got there, he only managed to look at him for a second, before abruptly turning away, fighting back the bile rising in his throat. Osomatsu had been right. He didn't have it in him.

He backed away from the demon, deciding that he couldn't be in this room much longer either. Not with the smell of burnt skin filling the air. He quickly made his way through the corridor, opening the door and locked it carefully behind him.

He jogged up the stairs, and walked into the nave, finding the front doors open. Osomatsu and Todomatsu were sitting on the front steps, both of their demonic traits visible. With the rain outside, he supposed the chance of being seen by pedestrians weren't high. Still, it was irresponsible.

As he walked up to them, Todomatsu got to his feet. "I want to take a walk," he said, then noticing Choromatsu. He tilted his head to the side. "You look ill." he said, before skipping down the steps to exit through the gates and continue down the road, towards the ocean, obviously not minding the rain pouring down.

Osomatsu looked after him, before he turned to Choromatsu. "That's his way of asking if you're okay," he explained, with a fond smile.

Choromatsu frowned. "Thanks?" he said, sitting down beside the devil, though with a considerable distance between them. He didn't like to admit it, but after seeing the Hellish part of Osomatsu twice, it had left him feeling a little uneasy around him. Hopefully he didn't noti-

"Why are you scared?" Choromatsu stiffened, sending Osomatsu a guilty look. He was looking back at him with his brows furrowed. Shallowly, he looked angry, but Choromatsu somehow managed to look behind that arrogant mask of his. Osomatsu wasn't angry – He was scared, and he was hurt. "You've always known what I am. So why are you scared now?"

"I'm not scared," Choromatsu lied.

Osomatsu abruptly got up, walked over to Choromatsu, and then crouched down, gripping him around his chin so he was forced to look at him. A barely audible gasp made it over his lips.

"Don't fucking lie to me, Choromatsu," he said, eyes flashing red. "You knew what I was the moment we met. You knew what devils like me are capable off. If you're having second thoughts about being my f-" He stopped, lips quivering for a moment. "…p- partner, then just say it."

Choromatsu stared back at him for several seconds, as Osomatsu refused to break eye contact. When he got to himself, he gave a soft huff, putting a hand over Osomatsu's. He averted his eyes, and swallowed down the lump in his throat. "It doesn't matter if I'm scared or not," he said quietly. "That… side of you was… Yes, it was frightening. You weren't anything like what I've gotten to know about you before, and that scared me. But I'm not having second thoughts. You haven't done anything out of bounds. We need to stick together," He forced himself to look back at him. "And… You can say 'friend' if you want to."

Osomatsu's grip on him loosened, and Choromatsu took that as a chance to carefully move it away. Instead, he put his other hand underneath Osomatsu's, now holding it between both of his own. Osomatsu averted his stare, looking down at their intertwined fingers as the light in his eyes gradually subdued. With a quiet sigh, he sat dejectedly down again, one step lower than where Choromatsu was sitting.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

"Me too," Choromatsu replied quietly.

They sat in silence for several moments. Seeing Osomatsu like this – Head bowed down, brows furrowed in worry, hunched over in a way that made him seem smaller than he actually was … Knowing that he could become a horrible monster was an unreal thought. This man was not the same as the one who'd tortured that demon.

Osomatsu suddenly leaned forward, propping his chin on top of Choromatsu's knees. He didn't say anything. He didn't need to, either. Devil or not, or even after a life in solitude, Choromatsu knew when someone was in need of comfort.

"You're scared as well," he said, his voice barely a whisper. He could feel Osomatsu's neck tighten against his knees when he swallowed.

"I'm fucking terrified," he said.

"Do you worry about what the demon said?"

Osomatsu was quiet for a long time after that. "What if he's right," he said, barely audible. "I don't know what I'm doing."

"I don't think anyone in your situation would be completely on track," Choromatsu said. "We're lucky to have you. If it had been anyone else, we wouldn't even know of what is going on in Hell right now."

"You would be lucky to have someone who's able to take this kind of responsibility," Osomatsu said, voice harsh, as he sat up. His eyes were glued to the ground beside them, a helpless look on his face. "I don't want that. I don't want to take charge. I don't want to pay the consequences for my actions, I don't want to _have_ to have a plan. I have no idea of what I'm doing, and I-" He stopped to take shaky breath. When he spoke again, his voice was airy, like he was having trouble breathing. "Why me? Why do I have to be in this situation? I can't – I can't deal with this… I can't…" His voice broke. He grimaced, ducking his head in an attempt to hide the shine in his eyes.

Choromatsu's mouth fell open, but he quickly sank down to the step Osomatsu was sitting on. "Hey," he said softly, collecting him in his arms. He covered them both with his wings, the way he'd seen Jyushimatsu do with Ichimatsu. "It's alright. You're not alone in this. We're going to make it through this, even if it will be a bumpy ride. It's okay."

Osomatsu felt a little stiff at first, like his wasn't expecting this kind of comfort, but gradually leaned into him, pressing his forehead against his shoulder. He didn't say anything, but Choromatsu could feel him shaking slightly underneath his touch. If he knew him correctly, he was fighting back tears, unable to speak at the moment. But slowly, he could feel him giving up. The sobs were small at first, but they grew bigger the longer they sat like that.

Osomatsu lifted his hands to grip Choromatsu's toga. He felt salty water steep into the fabric. Osomatsu didn't seem the type to cry often, but when he did, how big the tears were. As if he was holding it all in until the breaking point.

The stayed in that same position for a long time, enveloped in Choromatsu's wings as he carefully brushed through Osomatsu's hair, whispering small words of security every time a sob racked his body. After a while, the sobs subdued to only shaky breaths and sniffles, but even then, they stayed still, holding onto each other.

The sound of fluttering wings was what distracted Choromatsu from his comforting. He lifted his head, just in time to see Jyushimatsu land on the ground with a limp Ichimatsu in his arms. Osomatsu straightened as well, eyes wide with surprise. They were red and swollen – Hiding the fact that he had been crying was useless.

"What happened to him?" Osomatsu said, standing up as Jyushimatsu walked towards them.

Jyushimatsu's smile was sad. "Something reckless." he said, hurrying into the church. "Karamatsu-niisan! Can you get the blankets?"

Karamatsu popped his head out of a room in the back of the nave, a coffee cup in his hand. "What is- _Ichimatsu_?" He put the cup down on one of the benches, hurrying over to them. "What happened?"

"He's okay, don't worry!" Jyushimatsu said, laying him carefully down on one of the benches. "But he's very cold. He was in the rain for a long time."

"Right!" Karamatsu ran off, bolting down the stairs to the basement.

Osomatsu and Choromatsu walked up to Jyushimatsu, who had gotten down on his knees, hovering his hands over Ichimatsu's unconscious body. After a few seconds, he let his arms fall. "He's okay. He's…" the angel trailed off, hunching over uncharacteristically.

"Jyushimatsu," Choromatsu said, sitting down beside him. He put a hand on his shoulder. "What is going on?"

He looked back at him, before resting his eyes on Ichimatsu. "He cut ties with the Heavens," he said. "He's planning on becoming a Reaper."

"A what?" Karamatsu said as he emerged from the basement, his voice slightly muffled from the several blankets he was holding.

The other three didn't answer immediately. Choromatsu's mouth was hanging open, Jyushimatsu was looking emptily at Ichimatsu, and Osomatsu seemed shocked enough to remain speechless for a few seconds as well.

"It's, uh," the devil started, and cleared his throat when he heard how hoarse it was. He turned to Karamatsu, who was looking at him with worrisome eyes. Osomatsu blushed a little; probably aware of how puffy his eyes looked. "Many call it angels of death, but they're not really angels. Death is neutral. They're … not of Hell or the Heavens. Everyone, including humans, can become one, although a human becoming a Reaper is extremely rare. Angels, or … ex-angels becoming Reapers is almost as rare, because it's not really a… favored fate."

"Karamatsu-niisan, the blankets," Jyushimatsu called, and the priest hurried over to him, wrapping the blankets tightly around the unconscious man.

"But," Choromatsu started, folding his hands together. "He can't go back to the Heavens. He'll have to go to the lake in Hell for that."

"We talked about it," Jyushimatsu said. "I tried to convince him not to, but… Ah! I shouldn't be the one telling you this! Wait until Ichimatsu wakes up!" He shook his head, and pushed Ichimatsu's wet hair out of his face.

Choromatsu frowned, and stood up. He gave Osomatsu a look. "We wouldn't be able to do that, would we?" he asked.

Osomatsu shrugged, but shook his head. "Sending a human down there is dangerous. I can't go, obviously. There's no way that he-"

"What going on in here?" Todomatsu's voice called from the entrance doors.

"Totty!" Jyushimatsu exclaimed, making the demon jump. The angel just sent him a smile, as if that was a normal way to greet people.

"Ah, hi," Todomatsu said, walking up to the rest. He gave Ichimatsu a confused look. "Oh, there's another one. Who's this? What happened while I was gone?" He paused in his steps to give Osomatsu a shocked look. "Niisan?"

Osomatsu shook his head, giving him a sunny smile. "Don't worry," he said. "This is Ichimatsu. He's a victim of stupidity."

" _Nnrgh…_ Look who's talking…" Ichimatsu murmured, making them all jump.

"Niisan!" Jyushimatsu yelled, leaning too close to his face. "You're awake!"

Ichimatsu blinked his eyes open, squinting up at them. "Barely," he mumbled, giving each of them a disgruntled stare. When he came to Todomatsu, he frowned even more. "You're awake."

Todomatsu frowned. "Shouldn't I be the one saying that?" he asked, though his voice was a little quieter than before. He'd moved closer to Osomatsu again, hiding partly behind him.

Osomatsu leaned closer to Ichimatsu. "How do you feel?" he asked, a grin on his lips. Of course, someone cutting ties with the Heavens wasn't such a big deal for him, Choromatsu noted.

Ichimatsu looked at him for a few seconds, a sort of thoughtful look on his face. He wasn't blind either – He would see the redness in Osomatsu's eyes. "You're not as ugly as I remember," he said.

Osomatsu scoffed, then laughed. "What the hell…" he mumbled, straightening his back again. He slapped Todomatsu's shoulder. "This is Todomatsu, as you know. He's my brother. Todomatsu, Ichimatsu." He gestured to each of them.

"Pleasure," Ichimatsu replied dryly. He tried sitting up, but had to get help from Jyushimatsu. He looked suspiciously at his brother. "Did you tell them?"

Jyushimatsu smiled guiltily, looking away. "Maybe … a little." he said.

The look Ichimatsu sent him was certainly worthy of a Reaper, Choromatsu thought. He turned to the others, and his expression changed to something more bothered, like he didn't want the attention he was getting.

"I'm tired," he said. "I'm going to bed."

Choromatsu blinked. "What about your … ambitions for becoming a Reaper?" he asked. "Don't you want to talk about it?"

He shrugged. "Not now," he said. "Tomorrow, or something. I'm going to sleep, so leave me alone." Then he promptly lied down again, turning away from them.

Jyushimatsu jumped to his feet. "Karamatsu-niisan," he said. "Let's go to the kitchen and make coffee again."

"Ah… Sure thing, brother," he said. "Do you guys want coffee?"

Jyushimatsu took a hold of Choromatsu and Osomatsu's arms, dragging them along. "Coffee is good! I think! Let's to the kitchen!"

Choromatsu didn't need to be told twice to get the hint, but let himself get dragged along by Jyushimatsu anyway. Ichimatsu needed sleep and alone time, and there wasn't many places to sleep but in the nave. Osomatsu seemed to understand that as well, and Todomatsu just trailed after Osomatsu, because where else would he go.

Ichimatsu didn't make another sound, except from soft snores as he already slept soundly on the bench, covered in several layers of blankets.

After three cups of coffee, Osomatsu decided he too needed some fresh air. Todomatsu had gone for another walk, obviously finding this whole situation hard to deal with. He couldn't blame him. Choromatsu had gone up to the tower, to pray, or something. Jyushimatsu had fallen asleep on the bench behind Ichimatsu, his limbs sticking out in every direction with his mouth wide open. His snores echoed through the nave.

The rain had let up, and though Osomatsu couldn't walk outside the holy grounds, he thought it was alright to just take a slow stroll around the church. He knew all of the other's had noticed that he had been crying, and the thought made his stomach churn. He didn't want them to see his weaknesses. He didn't even want to see his _own_ weaknesses. None of them had asked, but he knew they were all wondering about it.

Ugh. How embarrassing. And he was supposed to be the "leader" too.

He heard footsteps behind him.

"Osomatsu?" Karamatsu's voice called. Osomatsu sighed inwardly. He really didn't want any company right now. "I have a proposal for you."

He frowned, turning around. "What are you-" He stopped when he saw Karamatsu standing there with a determined look in his eyes, his XXL cross held up in front of him.

"Please let me exorcise you."

AN: For the kind guest: No, this is not a BLmatsu story, sorry to disappoint you, if that's what you wanted.


	5. Chapter 5

It was raining again. The sun had gone down a long time ago. Outside, the only source of light was the distant lighthouse by the shore, and the moon. The nave was unnaturally dark. The stone floor was cold, and the air was cold, as if someone had left the window open, except the church didn't have any windows that were able to open, and temperature had never been a problem there before.

Behind the altar, Jesus on the cross glowed dimly, but not enough to give Karamatsu a visual of exactly where he was going. If he made a sound …

" _Karamatsu._ "

He choked down a whimper. His voice was changing. The cheery tone he'd heard before was as good as gone, replaced by a predatory, haunting murmur. He had laughter in his voice, as if he was smiling, as if he was merely playing with him. He couldn't hear where his voice was coming from – It was all around him, choking him, crushing him …

He bumped into a bench. The noise was unbelievably loud.

" _Oh no_ ," Osomatsu's voice purred, followed by a low laugh. " _You fucked up_."

Karamatsu gritted his teeth, quickly whispering a banishment mantra. The coldness in the room worsened, as the church gave an ear deafening creaking noise, like a storm had blown up outside all of a sudden. A growl shook the walls.

" _You gotta do better than that_ ," Osomatsu hummed.

There was a creaking sound behind him, and he turned around in time to hear the small crucifix on the wall fall off its hook, clattering to the floor. Another whimper escaped him, and he backed away, crouching between the benches. His heart was pounding so violently he was sure it was giving away his hiding place. He peeked out from behind the benches, trying to spot the devil in the darkness, but to no avail. He creeped out on the floor, clenching his hands around his cross.

" _Eicio, defaeco, elido_ ," he muttred. " _Eicio, defaeco, elido, eicio, defaeco, elido._ "

His laughter echoed through the hall. " _I can see you._ " His voice was right behind him.

He whirled around, before suddenly feeling an invisible wall push against him, flinging him through the air. He landed harshly on the ground, knocking the breath out of him. His head slammed against the floor, making spots appear in front of his vision. He choked on air, desperately trying to sit upright. Through his hazed vision, he could see a pair of glowing eyes down the aisle. The sound of footsteps came closer to him, echoing with incoming finality. Above him, the light from the cross flickered off.

"E _\- Eicio, defaeco_ …" he gasped. "… _elido_ \- _Ah_!"

A hand on his chest pushed him to the ground again. Suddenly, Osomatsu was crouching on top of him, looking down with a wild look in his eyes, and a smug grin on his lips. He didn't look human anymore. "My, my," he murmured. "A human's weakness is always surprising to me. Look at you."

Karamatsu gripped his cross. "Get… off…" he gasped helplessly.

"You think this will help you?" Osomatsu said, snatching away the cross. A sizzling sound came from his hand when it came in touch with the wood, but he didn't even wince. The devil threw it away, and he listened to the dreadful sound of it clattering away from him. The devil grinned when he desperately tried to push him off, using his hand to push his head down. He leaned a bit closer to his face, his next word merely a soft murmur: "Thank you for the food…"

Karamatsu tried to gasp, but all that came out was a choked sound, and he was suddenly unable to breathe. He shut is eyes, an ice gold feeling spreading in his chest, sending shocks of pain through his body.

"Osomatsu, you're going too far," Choromatsu's voice sounded. The cold feeling disappeared. He opened his eyes again; Osomatsu's face was just above him, with his eyes closed as well, although he wore an annoyed expression.

"I know what I'm doing," he said, before opening is eyes, sitting upright. Karamatsu gave a relieved sigh. The noise made Osomatsu look back at him again, the light in his eyes now more or less faded. His normal skin color was also returning, and the blackness in his eyes were getting whiter. His teeth were still sharp, but not as monstrous as they had been. He grinned with them. "How you doing, buddy?"

Karamatsu, who still had trouble breathing after being knocked to the ground, struggled to find the right words. "Hav'ta… train … more …" he panted.

Osomatsu made a face, crawling off his chest. "There, there," he said, a playful smile on his face. "On step at a time." He held out a hand, which looked almost human now, and carefully helped him up. He leaned on Osomatsu's shoulder when he got to his feet.

"Are you okay?" Choromatsu asked, stepping towards him with a concerned look on his face.

Karamatsu nodded slightly. "Just gotta… catch my breath…"

"He's fine," Osomatsu laughed, hitting his back, which didn't really help, but he still smiled at the support.

Choromatsu scowled at the devil, putting a hand softly on the priest's shoulder. "You should sit down," he said, leading him towards the benches. Osomatsu skipped after them, making a show out of clapping his hands, and the lights flickered back on.

"Osomatsu, go pick up Jesus again," Choromatsu ordered.

Osomatsu made a sound. "You could say 'go pick up the crucifix', but you just want to spite me, don't you?" he whined, but walked off anyway.

Karamatsu sat heavily down on the bench, leaning his arms on his knees. Osomatsu came back a few moments later, stopping in front of him. He tilted his head to the side, leaning forward a little. "Karamatsu," he said. "You look ready to puke. Sure you wanna do this?"

He nodded. "Better than working with actual hostile demons," he said.

"Devil, but yeah," Osomatsu straightened his back, and put his hands in his pocket. "Choromatsu, I'm warmed up. Let's go downstairs."

"Alright."

"Karamatsu, do you…" He hesitated, probably remembering Karamatsu's reaction from yesterday. If he didn't imagine it, he thought the devil's cheeks became a little red. "Actually, you should just rest here."

He blinked, before giving a smile. He gestured with his hand. "Don't worry about me, brother, I simply-"

"I wonder how that demon's holding up," Osomatsu said, completely ignoring him. "Has he been lying on the floor all this time? Poor guy." He laughed, as he turned away and headed towards the basement.

"I don't think lying on the floor is the worst thing that happened to him," Choromatsu commented dryly. He followed Osomatsu down the stairs, and the door shut behind them.

Karamatsu leaned backwards, staring up at the ceiling. He was already exhausted, even from just saying that simple mantra. He hadn't been able to actually perform the mantras before, as he never had a demon to exorcise, and now…

His mind drifted to his parents. He would become as good as them, as good as the stories he'd read in the documents they left him after they passed. He would get there… after a while.

One step at the time, Osomatsu had said. One step at the time.

"Wakey wakey, eggs and bakey!" Osomatsu called when they walked into the room. Choromatsu rolled his eyes. The demon grunted from the floor, in the same position as how they'd left him.

"Took you long enough," he mumbled. His voice was raspy.

"Okay, tough guy," Osomatsu said, walking over to him. He peered down at him from outside the devil's trap. "How are things looking for you? Oh wait." He giggled to himself.

Choromatsu remembered the sight of him yesterday, and although he was slowly healing, he was still happy he couldn't see what he looked like from this angle. His eyes would probably never heal properly without an angel's healing powers. A blind joke. Classy, Osomatsu.

The demon gave a chuckle. "Just get on with it, traitor," he said. "I'm not telling you anything."

"The more you resist, the more this is going to hurt for you," he said. "I have all the time in the world."

"Do you really?" the demon said. "Or do you have until Tougou succeeds?"

Choromatsu studied Osomatsu's face as he spoke. The grin on his face faded drastically, leaving just a bitter smirk. "You call _me_ cocky, speaking like that in your situation," he said. Then he sighed, putting his hands in his pocket. "What should we do today? We already did holy water, so we'll have to do something else now. Choromatsu," He turned to look at him. "Can you put him upright?"

Choromatsu stared blankly at him for a moment, then swallowed and nodded. He walked over to the demon, stepping into the devil's trap. He looked down at the demon, and forced his gut to calm down. He tried hiding the fact that his hands were shaking when he reached down, and lifted the chair up.

"Are you the angel?" the demon asked, an ugly grin on his face. "Wouldn't hanging out with a devil make you a traitor as well?"

Choromatsu didn't answer, but scowled at him. He stepped away from him, standing beside Osomatsu instead.

The devil raised his hand, pointing his palm at the demon. "Just tell me when you're ready to speak," he said, before bending his fingers slowly. The demon gave a choked noise. He started panting roughly, the veins in his neck and temples bulging visibly. The more Osomatsu clenched his hand, the more the demon started struggling in his seat, his face contorted in pain. Choromatsu bit down on his lip, and looked to Osomatsu instead of the demon. He was looking blankly at him, like what he was doing was normal business.

The demon screamed. Choromatsu looked back at him, but clenched his eyes shut when the screaming continued, unable to look at him without feeling like he was going to puke.

When it stopped, almost a full minute later, he slowly opened his eyes and raised his head. The demon was panting loudly; sweat draining his red, blistered skin. Osomatsu looked neutral, if not a little impatient.

"Now?" he said.

The demon tried for a laugh again: This time it was loud, raspy and hysterical. "You arrogant asshole," he snarled. "You're gonna fail! You're gonna fail all of your new misfit group of _friends_! You so worthless, you can even torture proper-" He screamed again as Osomatsu clenched his fist.

"Unless you're going to tell me something useful, then shut up," he said, teeth gritted. Choromatsu studied him closely. Now that he was aware of how anger affected the devil, he was more sensitive when it came to noticing the signs of him losing his temper, and with it, his control. Right now, he seemed calm, though his smile had disappeared, replaced with a blank stare. Which, when it came to him, wasn't a good sign.

Then again, torture wasn't something to smile about. On the other hand, he was a devil. For all he knew, torture was enjoyable for him.

As the demon continued wailing, Osomatsu tilted his head to the side. "Now?" he called, raising his voice to be heard over the screaming.

The demon gasped, and tried speaking through the pain. The words came out in strained barks. " _Fuck you_!" he spat. " _I'm not that damn weak!_ "

"Alright," Osomatsu said. He narrowed his eyes for a second, before he said something in a hissing voice – A language Choromatsu didn't recognize. He did a movement with his arms, and suddenly the demon was quiet. Choromatsu looked back at him: His back was arched, his mouth open in a silent cry. His burnt face, though way beyond the point of recognition, still managed to look like the ultimate model of being in complete and utter agony. It was worse than when Osomatsu dumped holy water on him, he could tell – Even if he'd passed out from the pain then. Why wasn't he passing out? What kind of spell had Osomatsu cast?

The demon started shaking, and Choromatsu's hand gripped around Osomatsu's without him even noticing himself. "Osomatsu," he muttered, noticing the fear in his own voice. He forced himself to look at the devil, who's face was starting to change, slowly drowning in the hellish part of himself. "Osomatsu!" Choromatsu called again, louder this time.

The devil blinked, looking at Choromatsu with those wicked red eyes. He lowered his hand. The demon slumped back in his seat, taking a desperate breath, before he started coughing violently. Osomatsu looked at him for a few seconds, with a questioning expression that didn't match the malicious appearance he was sporting.

Choromatsu swallowed. "Please calm down," he said quietly.

Osomatsu glanced at his hands for a moment, then back at Choromatsu.

"You being controlled by a goddess now, are you?" the demon whispered, his voice completely broken.

The devil looked at him, narrowing his eyes. "What?" he growled.

"Unbelievable." The demon laughed. "You were always a daddy's boy, but now that you don't have him anymore, you go to the next person who can tell you what the fuck to do. You've always followed orders, so how can you think that you'll be able to lead anyone into victory?"

Choromatsu had his eyes fixed on Osomatsu, who gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. He pulled his hand away, suddenly feeling the fear from yesterday creep back into him.

The demon couldn't even see the look Osomatsu was giving him. Maybe that was why he kept talking. "You pathetic fuck," he said. "Always so irresponsible and dependent. You're still just a damn kid. I bet you miss your dad, don't you? Tougou, the perfect parent, have I heard. You probably think nobody but you know how he's been treating you, right?" He laughed again. "Can't you even talk back to your dad, Osomatsu?"

Osomatsu made to bolt over to him, but Choromatsu caught his arm. "Osomatsu!" he hissed.

The devil stopped, clenching his jaw. "If you say another fucking word –" he started, but the demon interrupted.

"There's the goddess again," he said, poison in his voice. "Always looking out for you. Making sure you don't lose it. Does it feel good to be such a loyal dog? Do you know what _I'm_ looking forward to? I can't wait to get loose from this trap. I can't wait to pierce your goddess' heart with a good old poisoned-"

The temperature suddenly dropped. He only had the time to take one last look at Osomatsu, before the devil gave a growl that was way too loud to be natural, flinging himself at the demon. His body radiated darkness. Choromatsu could hear a painful ringing in his ears as he backed away, into the wall, pressing his hands to his ears. He gave a yelp, clenching his eyes shut. Something was wrong – Something wasn't going as planned. Osomatsu – Osomatsu had disappeared. He didn't know who was making the demon scream. He didn't know who was making blood splatter loudly on the floor.

Then the ringing stopped. The temperature went back to normal. When he opened his eyes, the white walls and floor was merely partly white, the other stained an awful shade of red. He was afraid to look to the source of the blood, but he had to.

He turned his head slowly. Osomatsu was standing with his back to him. His tail was flicking. His shoulder's rose and fell with his rapid breathing. His hands hang loosely by his sides, both of them drenched. He was standing in a puddle of the red liquid, and what was left of the demon's body …

He gave a retching sound, turning around. He pressed his forehead against the wall, and put his hand over his mouth.

Several long seconds went by without anyone saying anything. Then …

"Choromatsu…" Osomatsu muttered. His voice was weirdly fragile and confused. "Ch- Choromatsu, wh… what did ... I- Did I-"

Choromatsu shakily turned around again. Osomatsu was back to normal. He was looking around himself with wide eyes, as if he had just entered the room himself. "Is he dead?" Choromatsu asked.

Osomatsu gave a half-hearted scoff. "Very dead." he said, and cleared his throat. He met Choromatsu's eyes. "Did I do this?"

"Don't you remember?" Choromatsu whispered. That wasn't good.

Osomatsu swallowed. Then he groaned. "Fuck!" he yelled, making Choromatsu jump. "What about the information? What the hell?" He slapped a hand to his face, shaking his head.

"Uh, brothers?" Karamatsu's voice suddenly sounded from down the corridor. Choromatsu jumped again, before hurrying out of the room, meeting Karamatsu before he could round the corner and see the chaos in there. The priest widened his eyes at the sight of him.

"Uh – You shouldn't go in there," Choromatsu advised.

Karamatsu frowned. "Is… that blood on your toga?" he asked. Choromatsu looked down on himself, but before he could answer, Karamatsu had pushed past him, rushing into the room. Choromatsu trailed behind him. When he saw what was inside, he stopped in his tracks. "Oh, dear God."

Osomatsu wrinkled his nose, making a guilty looking face. "Uh," he started gracefully. "I, um… Something bad happened. Sorry."

Choromatsu looked up at the ceiling for a moment, before laying a hand on Karamatsu's shoulder. "Are you okay?" he asked.

Karamatsu didn't look at him. He was staring at the murder scene. "I," he started, voice faint. "I think … I think I need another drink. Osomatsu, are you inside the devil's trap?"

Osomatsu blinked, then looked up to the roof. He leaned against the invisible wall. "Can't remember walking inside it, but it seems I am," he said, looking terribly confused and exasperated. "Help?"

Karamatsu used less than ten seconds to say the mantra, obviously rushing to get out of the room. Osomatsu jumped out of the trap, walking away from the body on the floor, and Karamatsu just turned around and walked stiffly out of the room. "Guess it's time for Totty to play spy, then," he said with a grin.

"Are you kidding with me right now?" Choromatsu growled. Osomatsu stopped walking, looking surprised. "Aren't you aware of what this means? You don't have control of your own powers!"

Osomatsu shrugged. "I'm a little more, uh… powerful than I initially thought, I guess," he said, sounding annoyingly smug.

"You – You –" Choromatsu threw his hands in the air. "What if this happens at the wrong time? You have to learn to control yourself! This is what I was talking about when I said stepping over the line! You…" He trailed off, shaking his head. The memory played again and again in his head.

Osomatsu had averted his eyes, a pout on his face. "It was an accident," he mumbled.

"I know it was! That's the problem!"

"Would you rather I'd done it on purpose?"

"Well – _Yes_? I mean…" He leaned against the wall, avoiding the bloody scene with his eyes. "We have to figure something out. This can't go on."

The door opened again. "Osomatsu-niisan?" Todomatsu's voice said. "I felt the temperature drop so I thought something bad had happened, and then Karamatsu said he needed a- Oh." He stopped when he rounded the corner, looking at the crime scene. He laughed, slapping Osomatsu on the arm. "Good luck cleaning that up. I'm out." He walked away again, chuckling to himself.

Choromatsu followed him with him with his eyes until he was out, then snapped back to Osomatsu. "Your family is insane," he said. "Is it in your blood?"

"Well, you're not wrong, but apart from being from the same all-father and all that, Totty and I don't share blood." Osomatsu said, shrugging. He looked back at the mess, giving a sigh. "He doesn't like when things aren't sanitary, so he won't be helping to clean it up." He groaned.

"That's the least of our concerns right now," Choromatsu said, but decided he didn't want to stay in the room longer than he had to. He grabbed the fabric of Osomatsu's hoodie, and dragged him with him. "First of all, you have to change into something more presentable. I would say you look like you just murdered someone, but wait! Anyway, we also have to deal with Ichimatsu's plans of becoming a Reaper, because he'd gonna do it one way or another, and I am _not_ going to let him go down there by himself." He pushed the door open. Osomatsu just trailed behind him, looking like a child who just got scolded for not doing his homework. They started climbing the stairs. "Karamatsu will probably want to continue the training sessions, but right now I … I can't know if you have as much control as you say you have. Do you understand that, Osomatsu?"

"I guess you have a point…" he mumbled grudgingly, as Choromatsu opened the door to the nave. "But I swear, when I'm training with Karamatsu, I know what I'm doing."

"You were tugging at his _soul_!" Choromatsu exclaimed. "That's _way_ too risky!"

"Only if you tug hard enough!" Osomatsu protested. "Trust me, playing with souls is my specialty."

Choromatsu stared at him. "Jesus…" he sighed, putting a hand to his forehead. Osomatsu winced. "I think I need a drink as well."

"Do you think he has beer?"

"Osomatsu! Go change your clothes."

"To what?"

He didn't answer, just headed for the kitchen, where he hoped Karamatsu was. His head was spinning. Not that he had a choice, but dealing with a devil was harder than he'd expected. He'd been stupid to expect anything at all, but it was as it was. He'd have to figure something out soon, before everything went to Hell. Quite literally, too.

The way they were all sitting in a ring underneath the cross on the wall made Todomatsu feel like they were in Sunday school. Not that he'd ever been in one, but he was pretty sure this was how it would be. Minus the actual angels and demons. Well, at least they had a priest and a nun.

He was sitting beside Osomatsu, who'd changed into a tattered shirt, because though it was dirty and ruined, at least it wasn't covered in blood. Beside him sat Choromatsu, who'd looked healthy and good in the beginning of the evening, but now looked like he hadn't slept in days. He wouldn't be surprised if his hair started turning gray if he didn't stop worrying so much any time soon. Jyushimatsu was beside him, looking like he always looked: Weirdly happy. He was rocking back and forth with his feet in his hands. He was sitting closely to Ichimatsu. The nun was staring into nothing with a tired look in his eyes. He probably didn't want to do this at all, but it was a necessity, according to Choromatsu. He also looked like he was getting sick, due to being out in the rain for so long. Then there was Karamatsu, whom Todomatsu was pretty sure was a little tipsy. Just a tiny bit, but still. Poor guy. He didn't look too comfortable sitting beside Todomatsu, but he didn't mind being feared a little bit.

"Ichimatsu," Osomatsu said, scratching his head. "I totally support this idea of yours, but I really can't go with you to Hell."

Ichimatsu looked at him with a deadpan expression. "I didn't ask you," he said, but his cheeks got a little red anyway. Jyushimatsu nudged him, and the nun looked down at the floor dejectedly. "I have to find a way to do it anyway, now that I've taken the first step. I thought…" He glanced at Jyushimatsu. "Um. I thought possession might be an option."

Todomatsu perked up. He could see Osomatsu tense up in his peripheral vision.

"Seriously?" Osomatsu said, tilting his head to the side. "That's the first time I've experienced someone just asking for it like that."

"Except the times it's a part of a contract," Todomatsu supplied, but nodded in agreement.

"Yeah," Osomatsu chuckled. "I mean … I don't know, in Hell you can see through the people you possess, so if I possessed you, people would see me anyway, not you."

Ichimatsu's shoulders sank. "Oh."

Todomatsu tilted his head to the side. He didn't know much about the situation, but he knew Ichimatsu had rejected God, and wanted to become a Reaper, which he personally thought was a weird ambition. Not that he wished to follow God himself, he had it pretty good being a demon, but he wouldn't trade being an angel away to become a Reaper. I didn't make any sense.

"Why do you want this anyway?" he asked. The look he got from the nun made him wince a little.

"That's true," Osomatsu said, leaning forward. "We never got to know why you got kicked out in the first place. Why is that?"

 _Oh,_ he got kicked out. That made sense. Ichimatsu didn't seem like the angel type anyway, so it wasn't that surprising.

"I mean, basically everything is against the law in the Heavens, so it could be anything," Osomatsu said, laughter in his voice. "Did you, uh… Kick a puppy, or something?"

Ichimatsu stared at him intently. "It's none of your business," he said.

"Ichimatsu-niisan…" Jyushimatsu said, a hint of nervousness in his voice.

Osomatsu grinned. "Choromatsu says it's strict up there," he said. "Did you ignore bedtime? Did you say a bad word?"

"Osomatsu." Choromatsu warned. Ichimatsu was staring daggers at him, his face gradually heating up. His anger issues, mixed with the incoming cold, probably wasn't a good combination.

"Did you not do your homework?" Osomatsu continued, before gasping, putting a finger in the air. "I know. You skipped class, didn't you?"

"I killed an angel."

Todomatsu stared. "Huh?" He looked at Osomatsu, who was making a surprised face, but still smiled contently in a sort of way. He realized his brother had riled Ichimatsu up to make him tell the truth. He actually _could_ be smart sometimes.

Choromatsu seemed torn between looking shocked and giving Osomatsu death stares.

"But!" Jyushimatsu said, standing up on his knees. "There's more to it! He deserved it!" Then he put his hands in front of his mouth, as if he'd said something he shouldn't. Ichimatsu gave him half a smile.

"Hey," Osomatsu said. "To be fair, you aren't the only one who's killed an angel in here."

"Osomatsu!" Choromatsu snapped.

He shrugged. "It's the truth," he said. He raised his eyebrows, gesturing with his hands. "Luckily you've managed to mingle with two of the laziest hellish beings around, so there hasn't been much angel killing lately." He glanced at Todomatsu. "At least for me?"

Todomatsu shrugged as well. "Me too," he said. "I don't like blood."

"Whatever," Ichimatsu said. "What's done is done. Can we talk about how I can get to Hell now?"

Todomatsu looked at him for a few moments, glanced at Osomatsu, then back at Ichimatsu. He hummed. "It's been a while since my last possession," he said.

Both Osomatsu and Ichimatsu narrowed their eyes at him.

"If you get caught you can't be our spy," Osomatsu said, earning a look from Todomatsu.

"If I get caught, I'll be killed, but thank you for your concern," he said. "But I was going down there anyway. The demons will see me through the disguise, and since I'm not a wanted man, I won't need to hide and look suspicious. Besides, the lake is closer to where I live. I could sneak out to it easily."

Choromatsu ran a hand through his hair. "I'm not sure if this is a good idea…" he said.

"It's a terrible idea," Todomatsu said. "But we need all the fire power we can get if we're gonna succeed. A Reaper is also a neutral being. If Ichimatsu becomes one, he could get up to the Heavens to warn them."

There was silence as those words sank in.

"We have to do it," Osomatsu said, putting a hand on Todomatsu's shoulder. "It's the best game plan we have."

"But when Ichimatsu-niisan transforms, then you have to leave," Jyushimatsu piped up. "You can't stay there alone for that long, while he's in the lake. But you can't leave niisan there alone either!"

"When he becomes a Reaper, it shouldn't be a problem, right?" Todomatsu asked. "I can't stay there throughout the whole transformation, no. I'll need teleportation gems to get out of there, because the ruckus will most definitely attract unwanted attention. Seeing me in the area wouldn't be weird, but seeing me coming from the lake will raise suspicion of betrayal, which is punishable."

"Even without proper proof?" Choromatsu asked.

"Oh yeah," Osomatsu mumbled. "It's probably even more fucked up down there now. Lucifer was like a nice uncle compared to Tougou."

"Niisan," Todomatsu said. "Do you have any gems?"

He shook his head. "Crushed them all at once."

"Why did you do that?"

He shivered. "Long story," he said quickly, before clearing his throat. "But! I think I know someone who can get them for us." His smile was airy and distant. Todomatsu narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"Do you even have any other friends than me?" he asked, getting an ugly look from his brother.

"I do, actually," he said, the dreamy look quickly put back in place. "Totoko-chan, of course."

Todomatsu blinked, before he clasped his hands together. "It's been so long!" he said enthusiastically. "What is she doing right now? Still performing? Oh, _Totoko…_ "

"Last time I spoke to her she said she did, but it's beginning to be a while now," Osomatsu said, sighing. "We have to summon her, and ask if she can bring us some gems. She'll help us, right?"

"Even if she wouldn't, I'd still forgive her…" Todomatsu murmured.

They sighed in unison.

"Okay…" Choromatsu said slowly, bringing them back to reality. He was giving them a doubtful look, mixed with something that probably was exasperation. "But we can't summon a demon inside the church, and you can't go outside of it without attracting attention. We'd have to figure that out sooner or later as well, but we have to find a way for you to go outside without getting noticed."

"Right..." Osomatsu groaned, rolling onto his back. "I can't think of anything, though."

Choromatsu cleared his throat. "There… There is one way," he said quietly. The goddess was looking uncertainly at Osomatsu, who was squinting suspiciously from where he was lying on the floor.

"Why do you sound like I won't like what you're thinking?" he asked.

"Because I'm thinking of soul binding."

Osomatsu abruptly sat up, staring at Choromatsu in complete and utter shock. " _What_?" he exclaimed. "No way! No way in my entire eternal life!" He violently shook his head. Todomatsu was on guard as well. Soul binding with a Heavenly being was used as a punishment more than anything.

"Excuse me," Karamatsu piped up. "What's that?"

Osomatsu got to his feet, as if he was afraid someone would jump him. "The worst idea ever, is what it is!" he said. "I'm not letting your _pure_ soul affect mine! I _like_ being sinful! That's the point of being a fucking devil, isn't it?"

Choromatsu pouted. "Can you think of anything else, though?" he asked. "It's not like I'll use it against you. Besides, it might help on your anger management."

" _Anger management_?"

"Brothers-"

"I agree with Osomatsu. There's no escape from soul binding unless you'd release him, and we can't be sure that you'll do that, when this is over." Todomatsu said.

"Thank you, Totty-"

"Besides, for your sake, niisan's, like, _really_ shitty, so you might become a little affected by it as well."

" _Totty!_ "

"Come on, it's not that bad," Choromatsu said. "What's the worst that could happen?"

"I'd become _weak_!" Osomatsu whined.

"You'd become better morally. Your powers wouldn't change."

"What's the damn difference?"

Karamatsu raised his hand.

"But we're all on the same team, right!" Jyushimatsu said. "None of us would turn against each other, so it's not really dangerous, is it?"

Ichimatsu gave a low groan, putting his hands around his knees. He didn't look too good.

Osomatsu looked from the goddess to the angel in a defensive pose. "No!" he said. "I won't do it!"

Choromatsu stood up, and Osomatsu took a step backwards. "What choice do we have, Osomatsu?" he asked, crossing his arms. "You have to go outside at some point."

"I'll just take the risk in that case."

He rolled his eyes. "That's because you're an idiot. We can't risk that."

Todomatsu scratched his cheek. "Niisan," he said. "I don't like it, but he does have a point."

Osomatsu whirled around to look at him. " _Traitor,_ " he snarled.

"What is soul binding?" Karamatsu asked.

Choromatsu gave Osomatsu a long look. "It's most often used for purifying," he said. "It's not that common. Usually Heavenly and Hellish beings just kill each other on the spot, at least if the demon is hostile, which is mostly the case. However, soul binding can be a more remorseful punishment. It means binding the demon and the angel together, making the angel's mindset and nature affect the demon's, and hopefully changes their way of thinking and being."

Osomatsu gritted his teeth. "No offence, but I'm okay with not being a weak-ass goodie-two-shoes," he said. Choromatsu's eyebrows twitched.

"It doesn't have to be that bad," he said. "Angels usually use a lot of power changing the demon to make them as good as possible, as fast as possible. I don't have to do that. All we'd have to do is drown out your darkness in my light, so that the demons who are looking for you won't be able to sense you. It would barely affect your mindset at all."

"How could I be sure about that?" Osomatsu barked. "How do I know you won't immediately try to change me when you get the chance? I _know_ you're scared of me, so why wouldn't you?"

Choromatsu immediately looked like a wounded puppy at those words. "Osomatsu," he said. "When you convinced me to leave my lake, I had to trust you. You would have to do the same for me at one point, and this is it. We have to trust each other, right?"

His brother stared back at him, looking cornered. "I…" he said. He gave a weak grin. "Maybe it isn't that bad. Maybe they won't notice – I'll go out and check!" He whirled around to bolt out the doors, but Todomatsu reached out and pulled his tail before he had the chance. Osomatsu yowled, turning to him again to give him the most murderous look. " _Todomatsu_!"

Ichimatsu snickered.

Todomatsu shrugged. "You have to take responsibility sometimes, I'm afraid," he said.

Osomatsu looked defeated, giving each of them a helpless glance. When he came to Choromatsu, he pressed his lips together for a moment. "P- Promise me," he said.

"Of course," he said. "You're my friend."

There was a long uncomfortable silence, in which his brother and the goddess just looked at each other. Even Jyushimatsu was quiet. Ichimatsu had turned away, as if the situation was too embarrassing to watch. Karamatsu gave a quiet sniffle.

" _Okay,_ " Todomatsu said, not able to deal with the pause any longer. "So it's settled, then."

Osomatsu sighed, before giving Todomatsu a miserable look. "If I don't make it out alive…"

He rolled his eyes. "Stop whining. It's gonna be fine," he said.

At least he hoped it would.

About fifteen minutes later, filled with Osomatsu mostly pacing back and forth and waving his hands in front of himself to cool his burning face, and trying to take deep, steady breaths, everyone was sitting and waiting for him to calm down and actually get on with the soul binding. He didn't like looking as if he was about to lose it, but honestly, he was, and it was hard to hide it. Choromatsu was sitting on his knees on the floor just in front of the altar, following him with his eyes.

"Okay, okay," Osomatsu muttered to himself, dragging his hands over his face. "It's okay. I'm ready, I'm-" He looked at Choromatsu, then violently shook his head. "No. I'm not ready."

Choromatsu sighed. "It's okay," he said. "You're gonna be fine."

"It's easy for you to say!" Osomatsu retorted. "You're not gonna change!"

Ichimatsu groaned from his seat on the bench. "It's not that big a deal. I'm getting bored."

"Me too!" Jyushimatsu chimed, and Todomatsu nodded in agreement. Karamatsu looked like he didn't want to take a side, but the intrigued face he'd made when they'd first decided to do this, had slowly melted away as the minutes went by.

He stared at them for a few seconds, before he whined, leaning his head back. He gave Choromatsu a sideways look, before he slowly walked over to him, sitting timidly down in front of him. He folded his hands on his lap, and tried forcing them to stop shaking. Choromatsu reached for them, but Osomatsu quickly pulled them away.

"It's okay," Choromatsu said, facing his palms upwards as an invitation. "I won't start until you're ready."

He remained still for a couple of seconds, before nodding. He hesitantly laid his hands in Choromatsu's. The goddess wrapped his hands tightly around Osomatsu's, the warmth of them somehow calming him, even though he was about to do something that was mostly used as a punishment towards beings like him.

Osomatsu took a deep breath. Naturally, he felt the demonic part of him fighting to break loose – This was a dangerous situation after all. For every sudden noise or movement, he felt his shoulders tense, and the perceptive looks coming from Choromatsu made him feel like the goddess knew exactly what was going through his head. He swallowed, and nodded slightly. "Okay, do it," he said, voice hoarse.

Choromatsu nodded. He closed his eyes, tightening his grip around Osomatsu's hands. The warmth of them became more intense, and Osomatsu looked down to see that they'd begun glowing. His heart sped up. The light became more intense, and he looked up at the goddess' face again, remembering what had happened the last time he'd looked directly at his magic. Choromatsu's brows were furrowed in focus. His hair started fluttering, and shudders went through his wings. The light only became brighter – Osomatsu knew he should close his eyes, but he felt as if Choromatsu's face was the only thing keeping him anchored to the real world at this point.

He felt his body weaken. It sent panic through his mind, and he felt like he would throw up. He clenched his fists, holding tightly onto Choromatsu. Just as the light were almost too bright to see through, the goddess opened his eyes. His facial expression looked calm, like normal Choromatsu, but his eyes weren't his. They were glowing silver, his irises unnaturally green. Osomatsu immediately felt the urge to run away, but his body felt limp, as if Choromatsu's magic were forcing him to freeze in place. It didn't help on his panic.

Then his vision abruptly darkened, and he felt his body fall forwards.

When he blinked his eyes open, he was completely disoriented. There were black spots in front of his eyes, making it hard to see. His head was lying on something soft, but he figured he was still on the cold stone floor of the nave. The sounds around him gradually became clearer.

"…omatsu? Can you hear me?" Choromatsu said. His voice was so soft, he could barely hear it through the cotton in his ears. He made a grunting sound in reply.

He tried sitting up, but his arms weren't able to lift his own weight. Choromatsu came to his aid, but even then he had to lean against him limply to not fall right over again. He looked around himself, and was pretty sure the others were standing right by him, probably to check if he was alive, but he couldn't see who was who. He tried blinking the haze away, but of course it didn't work.

"Can't see," he informed sluggishly. "Or stand."

"The last part is at least not anything new," Todomatsu commented.

"Todomatsu," Choromatsu warned quietly. Osomatsu couldn't see, but he could practically feel the nervous aura coming from Todomatsu at that. Well, at least Choromatsu had found the confidence to talk to him at this point. Todomatsu was probably still too suspicious.

"I don't see anything different about him," Ichimatsu said. "Did it work?"

"There's a lighter aura around him now!" Jyushimatsu supplied enthusiastically. "His own aura is still there, but bellow Choromatsu-niisan's. It worked!"

"Of course it did," Choromatsu said, sounding a bit offended.

"Do _you_ feel any different, Choromatsu?" Karamatsu asked worriedly. The goddess shook his head.

"Just tired from the magic usage, but it'll pass," he said. He stroked his thumb unnoticed over Osomatsu's shoulder in an affectionate manner. "Osomatsu, how do you feel?"

He didn't answer right away. "Um," he started. "I don't feel like I'm going to puke so much anymore. Is puking a bi-effect of soul binding?"

"I think it's more a bi-effect of fear," Choromatsu informed.

Osomatsu smiled wryly. "Great," he said, clearing his voice. "How do I look?"

"The same," Choromatsu said. "Nothing has changed."

"Good," he said. "Wouldn't want to look like some meatball when I see Totoko-chan."

"She's not going to be impressed anyway, though," Todomatsu said.

Osomatsu gave an aggravated groan, trying to make his legs move. He squinted, trying to see through the black spots. He leaned on Choromatsu's shoulders, attempting to see out what kind of face he was making. "I hate your magic," he announced. Choromatsu gave a sympathetic chuckle, moving to help him stand.

His legs were shaking violently when he stood, even if most of his weight was on Choromatsu. He gave a whine, hooking is arms around his neck to hang over his shoulder like a frustrated child. "This sucks!" he groaned. He pressed his lips together, actually feeling like he could cry if he let himself, but he wasn't going to show that kind of weakness again. "This was a terrible idea," he mumbled.

Karamatsu walked up to them, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Do you need help? You should sit down again, on one of the benches," he said. Osomatsu looked sideways at him, smiling halfheartedly.

"I guess," he said, and let himself be supported by both Choromatsu and Karamatsu, shambling over to the benches. The other three followed, with an enthusiasm that betrayed they were more worried than they let on – At least Ichimatsu and Todomatsu. Jyushimatsu was very upfront about his feelings, although he seemed positive about the situation, as always.

He sat down with a grunt, rubbing his eyes. The spots were slowly disappearing, but everything was still hazy. He didn't feel particularly different – Then again, he'd never been a very hostile devil to begin with. He supposed he'd notice the changes when a difficult situation came up, like when he'd accidentally killed that demon. All he felt now was fatigue.

"How long until we're gonna continue to the next step of this plan?" Ichimatsu asked from somewhere in front of him.

"I wanna take a nap," Osomatsu said before anyone could try to force him to stand up again. He leaned his head backwards and closed his eyes. He yawned. "I don't want to stand up again in, like… ten years, at least."

"We don't have that much time, do we?" he heard Karamatsu mutter.

"Okay, but we have an hour, at least." Osomatsu slid sideways, placing his head in Choromatsu's lap. He hummed. "Naps that inconvenience others are the best naps, don't you think?" He couldn't see Choromatsu's face, but he could imagine the disgruntled face he was making. He grinned slyly. Already feeling his mind drifting off, he yawned. "See you in an hour, hopefully two," he mumbled, and let his mind cloud with dreams.

As the others left to do whatever they wanted to do while they waited for Osomatsu to heal from the soul binding, Choromatsu was left to just sit on the bench with the devil's head in his lap, not wanting to move in case he woke up. He was exhausted as well, so he could only imagine how Osomatsu had it.

Karamatsu had gone to buy some more clothes, since it seemed the lot of them would actually have to stay with him for a long time. Osomatsu and Todomatsu in particular had shown tendencies to spill blood on themselves, and Karamatsu had said he didn't want to explain to people why he was trying to wash that off his clothes at the laundry. He'd talked about how he might buy his own laundry machine to have inside the church, if things would continue as it was.

Jyushimatsu had decided he didn't like the tenseness between Todomatsu and the rest of the gang, and had dragged him and Ichimatsu out behind the church to play baseball, obviously having learned from his mistakes of playing inside the church. Jesus still had a hole in his face. Karamatsu had yet to notice.

Which left Choromatsu alone with the sleeping Osomatsu in the nave. Osomatsu was sleeping heavily, barely moving or making a sound as he probably drooled on Choromatsu's toga. Sleep was pulling on his own eyelids as well, but every time he nodded off, his head tilted backwards, snapping him awake again. In the end, he found that making tiny braids in Osomatsu's short hair was something to keep him busy while he waited.

He pointlessly studied the strands of the devil's hair, noting the he had small specks of blood in there as well. He needed a shower. Choromatsu let his fingers wander over to the striped horns on his head, colored in red and black. He trailed the stripes, following them up to the pointed edges. He prodded his finger on one of them, noting that they weren't as sharp as they looked. His train of thought lead him to the next hellish thing about Osomatsu – His tail. Todomatsu had pulled it earlier, and from the wail Osomatsu had reacted with, he supposed it was a tender spot. He decided to leave it alone, though he would keep that in mind. Maybe it was the same as his own wings. Pulling on them would be terribly uncomfortable. He shuddered.

Osomatsu made a muffled sound, stirring in his lap.

"Osomatsu?" Choromatsu said softly.

He didn't answer, but his tail twitched, as it usually did when he was either angry or nervous. Choromatsu swallowed, remembering what happened the last time Osomatsu had a nightmare. He didn't think it had been an hour already, but he still brushed his hand through the others hair, and shook his arm carefully. "Osomatsu," he said again, louder now. "Wake up."

The devil stiffened prominently, snapping his eyes open. He stared in front of him for a few seconds - his sight was probably not completely clear yet - before turning around to look up at Choromatsu. "Oh, you're still here," he said, voice rusty from sleep. He looked exhausted.

"Were you dreaming?" Choromatsu asked.

Osomatsu blinked, and then turned back away from him. He made a grunting sound. "Hasn't really been a problem before," he said. "It's annoying as hell." He lied there for a few moments, before he sighed, and pushed himself up in a sitting position, with some difficulty. He had a thoughtful look on his face.

"How do you feel?" Choromatsu asked.

He shrugged. "Tired," he said. "Like I've run a marathon. Not that I've done that before, but I guess it would feel like this." He looked down on his hands, turning them around as if they'd changed. "Do you sense something different about me?"

Choromatsu took a moment to try to feel the devil's aura. He shook his head. "You're the same, honestly," he said, frowning a little bit. "It's a little strange. You should at least feel a little different, but it's just as I remember." He shook his head. "But I'm pretty sure it worked. We'll tell once we leave the church."

"What if it didn't, thought?" Osomatsu asked. "And I attract demons?"

"They won't find you that quickly, will they? Todomatsu can sense if you're on his radar or not. Besides, he had a stronger connection to you, didn't he?"

He shrugged. "I don't know what Tougou is capable of," he said.

Choromatsu became quiet, then leaned forward, bumping his head softly against Osomatsu's shoulder, as a silent sort of way to comfort him. Osomatsu gave a laughing sigh, and ruffled the back of Choromatsu's hair gently. "I'm okay," he murmured. "Don't worry."

"Can't help it," he replied quietly. "I realize that this soul binding thing is pretty bad for you right now, and I'm not trying to still your pain, because I can, of course, understand why your problems are-"

"Choromatsu," Osomatsu interrupted, sounding a bit bewildered. "If you have something on your mind, then just say it. Complaining is good for the heart, in my opinion."

Choromatsu gave a huff. "Okay," he said, but then didn't know how to say his next words without sounding too attention-seeking. "I can't remember being out of the lake ever before. It's been my whole life. Meeting the outside world like this is a bit …"

"Overwhelming?"

"To say the least."

Osomatsu gave a chuckle. "It's fine! You said so yourself!" He slapped the other's arm lightly, before hooking is arm around his shoulders. Choromatsu gave an annoyed grunt, but the devil paid no mind. "Things seem hopeless now, but we're making progress every day, aren't we?"

"If soul binding is progress, then I guess we are," Choromatsu said. "But I get a feeling you don't agree on that."

"Well," Osomatsu grimaced. "It's… It's to keep the Surface more or less demon and devil free, so I guess it's worth it. Besides, it's you, and I trust you."

"Do you?"

"Why shouldn't I?" Osomatsu grinned. "I understand why you're reluctant about trusting _me,_ but you couldn't hurt a fly, I'm sure."

"Hey!" Choromatsu leaned back to give him a lecture about just how ruthless he could be, but was interrupted by the front doors opening. Ichimatsu stood there with a gloomy look on his face. Behind him, Todomatsu was leaning on Jyushimatsu, crying and laughing at the same time about something or other.

"Great, you're awake," the nun said. "We have to go before these two make me lose it.

Karamatsu's house wasn't much to brag about, and it wasn't really big enough for six people. He'd said he'd inherited it from his parents, and that the house was actually built for about four people. The house consisted of a small entrance hall, a living room, a rusty kitchen, one big bathroom and a smaller one with only a toilet and a sink, one big bedroom, and two smaller ones, as well as a musty basement. He also had a nice little garden with a veranda. On it was a worn down sofa, and an even more worn down chair, as if the chair had been used much more than the sofa, giving it a sort of sad, nostalgic look.

Choromatsu was studying it when Karamatsu came up behind him. He had a smile on his face, though it seemed a little bothered. "Let's go back to the others. Osomatsu says he's ready to summon that demon," he said. Then he looked a little confused. "I thought soul binding would mean you'd have to stay together."

"No, or, well…" Choromatsu shrugged. "I can sort of feel a tug towards him, so I always know where he is, and he'll, um, be in pain if he's too far away from me, but this distance is okay."

"And Osomatsu is aware of this?" Karamatsu asked.

He smiled grimly. "Why do you think he reacted so negatively towards it?"

"I thought it was just because he didn't want to change."

"That too, but…" Choromatsu shrugged. "He doesn't like to show weakness, I think. But it's not in my place to say this. You should get to know him yourself." He gestured towards the entrance hall where the door to the basement was.

Karamatsu straightened his back. "Ah- Yes!" He walked along with Choromatsu. "I'll try my very best, of course. It's just, uh … My parents were exorcists, you know? And naturally, only God can condemn, so I won't judge him based on his, uh, heritage, but …"

Choromatsu sent him a soft smile. "I understand," he said. "But even though we have some disagreements when it comes to morals and all that, Osomatsu and Todomatsu is definitely not the worst when it comes to Hellish beings. I don't know Todomatsu that much yet, but I feel like I know Osomatsu, and he is – though annoying as hell mostly – a good man. I trust him."

Karamatsu listened intently to his words, and when he was done, he smiled lopsidedly. "I see," he said. "It's a little ironic, don't you think? Fate really has a strange sense of humor."

He cringed a little, but returned the smile. "It sure does," he said, then heading down the stairs before Karamatsu got the chance to say more cheesy stuff.

The scene that met him in the basement was nothing out of the ordinary – Osomatsu had drawn a pentagram of some sort on the ground, and was currently trying to wipe his chalk stained hands off on Todomatsu, who was yelling at him to stop. The scene was just like any sibling couple Choromatsu had seen before. Jyushimatsu was what separated Osomatsu from Todomatsu, as Todomatsu used him as a makeshift shield. He was impressed by how quickly Jyushimatsu had managed to bond with the demon when he'd first put his mind to it. He guessed most people wouldn't be able to resist the angel's eccentric personality. Ichimatsu wasn't exactly in on the little game, but he wasn't standing as far away as he usually would, wearing a unwilling smile on his lips, like he was too shy to admit to actually enjoy their company.

When the two of them came down the stairs, Todomatsu perked up. "Choromatsu!" he said. "You can tell him to stop because of the soul binding! Do it!"

"Todomatsu!" Osomatsu yelled back, putting a hand to his heart. " _How_ _could you_?"

The demon stuck his tongue out. "Wash your hands!"

Choromatsu sighed a little bit, suddenly feeling like what a mother probably feels like. "Can we get started?" he asked exasperatedly. "Osomatsu."

"Why are you such a neat freak, Totty~?"

" _Osomatsu!_ "

The devil giggled, skipping away from the two others. He smiled innocently at Choromatsu. "Sorry," he sing-songed. "Alright! Let's do this."

Choromatsu frowned. "You're in a good mood," he said.

"Why, of course!" Osomatsu put his hands to his cheeks. "I'm going to meet Totoko!"

" _We're_ going to meet Totoko," Todomatsu corrected. "This isn't a date."

"But you wish it were!" Osomatsu pointed out, in which Todomatsu just shrugged in agreement. The devil stood in front of the pentagram, holding his arms up. He closed his eyes, and started chanting something Choromatsu didn't recognize.

As he used his magic, their combined souls made Choromatsu's alarms ring. Not because he thought Osomatsu was doing anything wrong, but because soul binding was used as a way to purify demons, and keep them from using their powers. He could feel he'd gained the ability to somewhat control Osomatsu's powers – Not a hundred percent, but he could dim it, at least – but he'd promised he wouldn't do that without good reason. He hoped he would never have to.

He felt the familiar cold gust of wind that always arrived when Osomatsu used his magic. Karamatsu stood right beside him, looking at the devil with a concentrated look on his face. Todomatsu was standing with his hands clasped together and with an anticipating look on his face. Jyushimatsu looked like Jyushimatsu. Ichimatsu hid whatever emotion he felt behind a bored mask.

The floor started vibrating slightly, and Choromatsu folded his hands together nervously. The dim lighting in the room flickered on and off, until it went completely black. Karamatsu nudged him, as if to ask if this was going as planned. "It's fine," he whispered back. He thought it was, at least.

Then, the pentagram glowed faintly, and smoke started spewing from it. In the limited lighting, he couldn't see much of what was going on, but he didn't think he was imagining the smoke taking the form of a person. Just as the thought passed his mind, the smoke subsided, and in the middle of the pentagram stood a humanoid form.

" _Totoko-chan!_ " both Osomatsu and Todomatsu squealed, making Choromatsu jump. The light flickered on again. The famous Totoko-chan had a serious look on her face, but it quickly turned to surprise when he saw the familiar faces of Osomatsu and Todomatsu. Choromatsu felt his jaw go slack. This Totoko… She really _was_ beautiful.

"Osomatsu-kun!" she gasped. "Todomatsu? What's going on?" She looked sternly at Osomatsu. " _What's going on?"_ she repeated, harsher the second time.

Osomatsu stiffened. "Uh- What have you heard?"

She walked towards him, stopping at the edge of the pentagram, but poked his chest with her finger. "I've only heard that you ran away, and that everyone is looking for you! Your father became the king of Hell, and _that's_ the first thing you do? You could be a prince!" she disciplined. Then she hesitated a bit. "Everything is in disarray down there, though. It's closer to chaos than ever. It's like your father _wants_ everyone to go nuts."

Osomatsu bowed his head. "Damnit," he mumbled. He looked up at Totoko again. "Don't call him that. He's not my father."

Totoko frowned, looking like she wanted to ask for an explanation, but then seemed to notice their extra audience. She turned around herself, looking at each person in the room carefully, especially Choromatsu and Jyushimatsu. "Shit," she said. "Are you- You're-"

Todomatsu waved his hands. "It's alright! We're on the same side!"

"And which side is that exactly?" she replied sternly.

"Totoko," Osomatsu said. He'd folded his hands behind his back and was fidgeting in a very un-Osomatsu sort of way, Choromatsu thought. "You're aware of Tougou's plans about taking over the Surface, right? That's always been his ambition. And he wants to do it now. The thing is, I got sentenced to death. If he finds me, I'll be killed. If he takes over the Surface, I'll have nowhere to hide. Do you see my problem?"

"You were sentenced to death?" Totoko whispered. "For what?"

"Involvement with Heavenly creatures."

"Well, no shit."

"So I was going to ask you to do me a favor," Osomatsu continued. "Pretty please?"

Totoko narrowed her eyes. "Depends on what it is…" she said slowly.

"I need Teleportation Gems."

She tilted her head to the side. She looked adorable when she did that, Choromatsu thought. "You know you can't use them on the Surface, right?" she asked.

"I know," Osomatsu said. "We're gonna need them as a quick escape from Hell."

"You literally just said you'd be killed if you're found. You can't go down there!"

"I know!" he said again. "It's not me. It's him." He pointed at Ichimatsu, who visibly stiffened. When Totoko turned to him, Choromatsu was positive he saw him blush. She frowned.

"Why?"

"He's becoming a Reaper."

Totoko clicked her tongue. "You know what," she said. "I'm not even going to ask. I've never understood your shenanigans, Osomatsu. But I'll help you – Mostly since it's no big deal, because I happen to be carrying some Gems, but also because you're my friend and I would hate to see you killed, even if you're annoying and unpopular."

Osomatsu gasped happily. " _Really_? Thank you, Totoko-chan!" he sang, completely overlooking her insults. Choromatsu couldn't blame him – Personally he thought Totoko could step on him, and he'd say thank you. He could completely understand why Osomatsu and Todomatsu had been so enthusiastic about her.

"Just don't sell me out. I don't want any trouble. I couldn't care less about the Surface, honestly." She put her hand inside her jacket, and gave Osomatsu three silvery stones. "I don't even know how you two managed to mingle with this gang, but that's your problem."

That was when she looked Choromatsu in the eyes. Choromatsu almost visibly jumped into the air. Totoko frowned confusedly, tilting her head to the side again. The motion made his heart speed up.

"Weird," she said. "I'm … Have we met before? I'm sure I've seen you before."

Choromatsu's eyes widened. "Uh- I don't- I-" he stuttered, feeling his face heat up. He cleared his throat. "I- I'm sorry, that would be impossible, I think." He averted his eyes, looking to Osomatsu instead. The devil was looking at him with narrowed, annoyed eyes. Choromatsu raised his eyebrows as if this ask " _What_?"

Totoko crossed her arms, looking intently at Choromatsu. Then she shook her head. "You're right," she said. "I've never talked with a goddess. You sure do look like someone I've met before, though."

Choromatsu swallowed. "That's probably it," he said, voice hoarse.

"Okay. So if you fuck up, then don't mention me giving you these Gems. Understand?" Totoko stared daggers in Osomatsu, who flinched slightly.

"Yeah! Of course," he said quickly, stuffing the stones in his pocket. "Thank you so much."

Totoko gave a small smile. "You're welcome," she said. "Try to not fuck up, though. Todomatsu, make sure he doesn't do anything stupid. Actually, you should watch over each other. You're both idiots."

Todomatsu rubbed his neck nervously. "I'll try my best," he said.

She nodded, and took a step back. "See you later," she said. Then she dissolved into smoke, sinking back into the ground.

Osomatsu did a little dance, throwing himself at Todomatsu. "Did you _hear_? She said ' _see you later'_! That means she wants to see us later!" he said. "Totoko-chan wants to see us later!"

"She was talking to me when she said it, though," Todomatsu pointed out, a sly grin on his face.

Osomatsu froze. "No, she was talking to both of us," he said.

"Nope! She definitely was talking to me."

"Why would she talk to _you?_ "

"You're saying it as if it makes more sense that she talked to _you._ "

"Totty…!"

Choromatsu rolled his eyes at their bickering, then step forward to move them away from each other. "Can you two focus?" he asked. Osomatsu turned to him with an incredulous look in his eyes.

"As if you didn't act like a blushing virgin when she talked to you," he scoffed.

"Did- Did not!" Choromatsu spluttered. "That has nothing to do with this! We have the Gems, so let's continue on with the plan."

"I thought you'd never say that," Ichimatsu mumbled. "Let's just get it over with."

Jyushimatsu turned to him. He looked like he was smiling to be encouraging, but at the same time he looked as nervous as anyone would be if their brother was going on a life threatening mission. "You sure you wanna do this?" he asked.

Todomatsu put his hands on his hips. "If everything goes as planned, it's not going to be that dangerous," he said. He glanced at his brother. "Then again, things have a tendency to not do that with us."

Ichimatsu shrugged. "I gotta do it anyway," he said. "Todomatsu. Do it."

Choromatsu watched as Osomatsu slapped Todomatsu on the arm. He didn't like the wicked grin he was giving him.

Todomatsu smiled as well, though softer and not as predatory as Osomatsu, as he walked up to Ichimatsu. "This might feel a little uncomfortable," he said. Ichimatsu's Adam's apple bobbed when he swallowed. The demon closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. The temperature dropped almost the same way as when Osomatsu had lost his temper. Todomatsu dissolved into smoke just as Totoko had done earlier, and Ichimatsu gave a choked gasp. The smoke swirled around him for a moment, before it went down his throat. The nun went stiff. His eyes rolled into the back of his head.

Choromatsu gripped Osomatsu's arm. "Is this normal?" he hissed.

Osomatsu shrugged. "He likes making a show," he explained. "It's as alright as a possession can be. It's not supposed to be comfortable, you know."

"Is he in pain?"

He shrugged again. "Don't ask me. I've always been the one possessing, not the other way around."

Choromatsu grimaced. He didn't want to think about Osomatsu's darker days as a devil, but every time he mentioned things like that, the thoughts forced themselves into his head. Fortunately, Ichimatsu distracted him. The nun gasped, before blinking, his eyes slowly focusing again. Choromatsu stared, waiting for something to happen.

Then he looked at them. A smile played on his lips, and his eyes weren't half lidded as they should be, since it was Ichimatsu. But then again, this wasn't Ichimatsu anymore. He took a deep breath. "It's been a long time since I've felt human," he sighed. Then he frowned. "You knew this wouldn't be comfortable. Stop complaining."

Choromatsu blinked. "What?"

"He's talking to Ichimatsu," Osomatsu explained.

" _Seriously?_ "

Ichimatsu, no – Todomatsu, gave a soft smile. "Seriously," he said. "The host can still hear and see everything around themselves when they get possessed. I can hear his voice. It's annoying, normally, because the host is usually, you know, crying and begging and stuff, but this is different, obviously."

Choromatsu wrinkled his noise. "How … nice," he said, again trying not to think about the evils Todomatsu and Osomatsu must have done at some points in their lives.

Osomatsu elbowed him. "Goddesses can possess people as well, you know! You should try it!" he said encouragingly.

"I'm okay, to be honest," he replied quietly.

"Anyway!" Todomatsu said with Ichimatsu's voice, clapping his hands together. "I should get going. Niisan, the gems."

Osomatsu threw him the gems, and Todomatsu caught them easily.

"Wish us luck~!" he sang. As he started dissolving into smoke again, he rolled his eyes and said: "I can use your voice however I want. Deal with it." then disappeared into the ground.

Hell was simultaneously everything he imagined, and nothing like he'd imagined at all. There was no sky – Above them was only dusty, reddish smoke that was too thick to see what was beyond. The ground beneath them was partly stone, partly sand, and the air was thick and warm. Ichimatsu could feel the heat all over his body, and the ground was just a little too hot for his feet. Now, the saying "when Hell freezes over" had much more meaning. That would never happen.

Todomatsu didn't seem to notice the heat so much, however he definitely wasn't content with how things was either. He could feel his emotions, and hear his annoyed muttering as they started making their way down a hill, towards a cramped looking village.

 _I didn't know demons lived like this,_ Ichimatsu said.

"Hell isn't _that_ different from the Surface, or from the Heavens, I believe," Todomatsu said. He noted that now that they were in Hell, he sounded like himself again. Good, Ichimatsu thought. It had been unsettling to hear his own voice being used by someone else. "Hell keeps expanding. Demons and devils or other beings are born every day, and since we're immortal, it just keeps growing. But many of us are creatures of habit, and ends up staying in one place for long periods of time, and thus, such villages like these are created. I live down there, but I'm not home so much, since I'm in training."

 _In training?_

"To become stronger, and climb higher in the ranks," Todomatsu explained. "It's entirely optional, but most of us do it. If not, you're stuck in the low rank regions of Hell, and I'm having none of that. It's disgusting down there. Not that the training schools are any better, but I'll just have to suffer through it until I can do whatever I want, which is to just fucking leave this place. This is why I want to save the Surface, as you might guess."

 _So it's not out of the goodness of your heart?_

"What do you think of me, Ichimatsu?" Todomatsu grinned. As they came closer to the village, he started looking more around himself, and Ichimatsu could feel is anxiety slowly building up.

 _I thought you weren't nervous about this,_ Ichimatsu said.

"Shut up," Todomatsu whispered. "I'll be killed if we fuck up, of course I'm nervous. While we walk through the village, don't speak to me. I need to focus."

Ichimatsu tried nodding, but then remembered that Todomatsu was controlling his body. It was a weird sensation – He could feel everything, just like normal. When Todomatsu took a step forward, he could feel the ground beneath his feet. When he cracked his knuckles, he could feel them pop. But he couldn't move on his own, at all. Todomatsu was in complete control of him.

They walked through the village. Around them, houses laid scattered and cramped. Demons were walking around, mostly by themselves, some targeted like they had somewhere to be, others aimlessly, as if they were merely walking because they had nothing else to do. The sight wasn't exactly uplifting.

In the corner of his vison, he sometimes thought he saw flashes of darkness, as if someone was blinking in and out of existence. He felt on edge – Hell seemed to feel more and more like what people think of when you say the world "underworld" the longer he was there. He didn't like it one bit. He felt vulnerable, and he was paranoid. He constantly felt as if something was behind him, making fear bubble in his chest.

"It's normal," Todomatsu whispered. "We're safe, for now."

Alright. They were safe, for now. The feeling of being hunted was just a feeling, and he probably felt it because he didn't belong down here. Maybe it was the same as how Osomatsu felt when he was inside the church. He'd talked about that, hadn't he?

"Hey," a raspy voice suddenly said. Todomatsu turned his head to look at a frail old man sitting by a wall. He had a wild, intense look in his eyes, and Ichimatsu suddenly felt like he was the one being watched, not Todomatsu. "Please," he continued. "Do you have … you know… Just a few pieces…"

"No. Leave me alone," Todomatsu said. "I don't have any, and even if I did, I wouldn't give it to _you_."

The man scowled. "You selfish brat… Can't you see I'm suffering?"

Todomatsu gave a laughing scoff. "Do you expect me to care for someone like you?" he asked scornfully. "Don't even talk to me, old man."

He turned away from him again, walking away, faster now than before.

 _What did he want?_ Ichimatsu asked. Todomatsu just shook his head. There were too many people around to answer him without arousing suspicion.

They walked through the village as quickly as possible without looking like they'd stolen something, and after what seemed like forever, the houses started laying further apart, and there were less and less demons that walked past them, until they were out of the village again. Now, they were walking through an almost deserted landscape. They were closing in on something in the distance he couldn't quite see what was… It looked like a crowded area, except he couldn't see any houses or anything, and sometimes he would see random spurts of fire rising from the ground, like the people there were walking aimlessly around some hellish desert.

"He has an addiction," Todomatsu said quietly. "The man from before. It's what happens with most demons who don't go to training. They don't get to leave Hell so much, and when they do, they go berserk on the Surface. They're sort of the worst of demons. They take souls in the most desperate ways, but they don't know when to stop. At one point they go insane, thriving only to eat more souls. But they can't, since they're stuck down here. He was asking me if I was carrying leftovers."

 _Leftovers of human souls?_ Ichimatsu asked with distaste.

"As if I wouldn't enjoy all of it," Todomatsu snickered.

 _Yuck._

He shrugged. "Maybe I'll eat one while I'm still in your body, so you can feel what it's like."

 _I'll pass._

"Your loss."

They were getting closer to the people in the distance, and Ichimatsu suddenly felt the same uneasiness as he'd felt earlier. There was something eerie about the sight that he couldn't quite put his finger on. And that wasn't because he couldn't currently move his own body. _What's that over there?_ he asked.

"Oh, that?" He felt disgust coming from Todomatsu. "It's the Fields of Punishment. We have to go through it to get where we want."

Ichimatsu felt a little sick. _The Fields of Punishment,_ he said. _Why do you live so close to it?_

Todomatsu chuckled. "It's everywhere," he said. "Thousands of people die every day, and sadly enough for them - or for human kind or whatever - most of them go to Hell, not the Heavens. It's the same as the rest of Hell – It keeps expanding, as the population grows bigger. The Fields of Punishment is everywhere, sometimes in smaller patches, other times thousands of miles in radius."

 _If I died, where do you think I'd go?_

The demon tilted his head to the side. "Uh… I don't know. I mean, you used to be an angel, so you should be pretty pure. Maybe you get special treatment or something." He shrugged. "Or maybe you get a particularly bad punishment, since you failed and abandoned God and all that."

 _That's reassuring._

"Right?" Todomatsu gave a laugh, as if they weren't talking about Ichimatsu's might-be doom. "But either way, you'll become a Reaper now, and although I don't understand why you'd want that, you will at least be immortal again. Can Reapers even be killed?"

 _I don't think so,_ Ichimatsu said. _I think it's a big part of why nobody wants to become one. Both Heavenly and Hellish beings can be killed and can decide to die or disappear if they feel like they've lived their life and fulfilled their… purpose, or whatever, but I don't think Reapers can. They're forced to stay alive, no matter how tired of existing they get in the end._

"Personally, I like being immortal, so that wouldn't be the part I would be most worried about," Todomatsu said. "What you _should_ worry about is the pain you endure when you walk someone to the other side."

 _You know about that?_

"Sure," he said. "I haven't talked to an actual Reaper before, but I've heard it's bad. Think you can handle that?"

 _I don't know. We'll see._

"Your motivation is truly inspiring."

 _That's the first time anyone's ever said that to me._

Todomatsu laughed again. "Oh, cheer up. It's gonna be fine. We, uh," He rubbed his neck. Ichimatsu suddenly felt a pang of nervousness, and it wasn't coming from him. It was Todomatsu. "We have each other, so…"

He was speechless for a few moments. A warm feeling spread in his chest. For once, he was glad he couldn't control his body, because then he definitely would've been wearing a stupid, goofy little smile. _Yeah,_ he replied quietly. _That's true, I guess._

"Yeah..."

They walked in silence for a long time after that. They were getting close to the Fields of Punishment now. He could make out more people, but the sight wasn't something he wanted to dwell on longer than he had to. He could hear yelling, moaning, screaming, sobbing - The people there were so diverse, in age, in race, even in time eras… Though most of them were naked, so it was hard to tell that last one. Their skin was dirty, burned and rotten, and they were scattered over the Fields, doing whatever they'd been condemned to do for all of eternity. Ichimatsu wondered if what they'd done in their past lives was bad enough to be treated like this. For some reason, he wasn't so uncertain that it was. Because among all the differences between the people, they all had one thing in common: They had the same darkness around them, radiating from their body like heat waves. The amount of darkness around them varied, but all of them had it.

 _Can you see how much evil they've done in their past lives or something?_ Ichimatsu asked.

Todomatsu frowned. "What?"

 _The darkness,_ he said. _Some have more than others. Is that just random, or does it have something to do with how bad they've been?_

"I … have no idea of what you're talking about right now, Ichimatsu," Todomatsu said slowly. "What darkness?"

What? Ichimatsu didn't answer. He looked at the people again, and could still see the darkness radiating from them. Was he going mad? _Forget it,_ he said after a few moments.

Todomatsu narrowed his eyes. "Alright… Anyway, we're gonna walk through here now, so brace yourself. It's disgustingly unsanitary," he said.

They started making their way along a path leading through the field. It looked like it had been made for people to walk on it, but it didn't look very used. Ichimatsu wasn't surprised. The Fields of Punishment wasn't exactly like a sunny walk in the park. At first, the people around them didn't seem to notice that they were there at all. Either they were invisible to them, or they simply thought they were also some poor soul who was condemned to stay there for eternity. Then, after a while, they started getting weird looks, as if the souls were noticing that something wasn't quite as usual.

Todomatsu cursed. "Stop looking at me," he murmured under his breath, obviously not to Ichimatsu.

 _Is that bad?_

"It's gross," he said. Just then, a person walked up to them. Their body was so deformed, Ichimatsu couldn't tell if it was a woman or a man.

"You're a demon," they said. "Please… Please let me out of here. It's been centuries… Plea-"

"Get away from me, scum," Todomatsu snapped. He walked past them without a single trace of sympathy.

Ichimatsu felt sick again.

As if the first soul had inspired the others, more of them started walking up to Todomatsu, and no matter how much he spat in their faces and told them to back off, they still kept coming. Centuries of punishment would make you that desperate, Ichimatsu guessed. But anger and anxiety was bubbling inside him, coming from Todomatsu, and he was afraid of what would happen if the souls didn't back away soon.

And as the thought crossed his mind, one of the souls did the mistake of grabbing Todomatsu's wrist. The demon gave a dangerous growling noise. He ripped his hand away before giving the soul a kick in the chest. They fell harshly to the ground, giving a hoarse cry. "I said," he spat. His heart was hammering in his chest. " _Get away from me_!"

Black smoke exploded around them, Todomatsu's anger drowning out all of Ichimatsu's own feelings. For several moments, he couldn't see a thing, but he could hear the souls screaming in agony, and the sound of them scrambling desperately away. When the smoke dissolved, Todomatsu looked around, fists clenched.

"If anyone tries anything again," he snarled. "I'll make sure your punishment gets twice as painful as it already is _,_ you _disgusting filth."_

Ichimatsu didn't like the feelings coming from Todomatsu. Weird thing was, he didn't feel just angry – He felt panicky. _Is it that bad? They just want help, don't they?_ he asked.

Todomatsu just gave a scoff, before tramping off, paying no mind to the bodies twisting in pain on the ground. Ichimatsu got the impression he wouldn't get an explanation of Todomatsu's skittishness, so he let the matter go, as he didn't want to prod, but also because he didn't have the energy to do it anyway. He didn't want to bother himself with other people's problems.

At least that's what he told himself.

Todomatsu only glanced around himself now and then after that, which made it harder for Ichimatsu to study the souls around them, and thus, more boring to just sit and wait. Or, not sit – He could feel the exhaustion in his legs, but Todomatsu didn't seem to mind. He remembered that humans possessed by demons often died after being freed from the possession because the demon never took into account that humans can't handle as much physical trauma as they can. If they get stabbed in a vital organ, the body will keep on living until the demon leaves. He really hoped Todomatsu had that in mind as he strode determinedly along the path.

Ichimatsu had started to zone off when he noticed something strange in the masses. There was a couple, sitting not far from the path, who didn't look deformed or as wounded as most of the souls in the Field. They were merely sitting on their knees, their backs straight, with a frightened look on both of their faces. Their skin was dirty and irritated, and their lips were chapped. Their eyes were bloodshot, as if they hadn't closed them in a long time. However, the weirdest thing was that they completely lacked the darkness around them that the other souls had. Instead, there was a faint light surrounding them. The woman had long, dark hair that probably had been beautiful once, but was now dead and tangled. She had brown, kind eyes. Ichimatsu could see that, even when her face was contorted in fear. The man had dark gray hair, thick eyebrows, and blue eyes that brought out the redness in them. He had an unkempt beard, and Ichimatsu tried to not notice the things moving inside of it.

As they got closer to the couple, he got more and more uneasy. Why were they here? What had they done to deserve this? Why weren't they getting punished like everybody else? Why were they just sitting there, looking like they were at the brink of death? Why was there a light around them? He wanted to ask Todomatsu about it, but the demon still seemed nervous and jumpy, and he'd told him before that he couldn't see any darkness, so he probably wouldn't notice the light either.

Suddenly, there was a sinking feeling in his stomach. Was he imagining it, or did they look … awfully familiar?

 _Todomatsu,_ he said. _Do you know who they are?_

"Please don't talk right now, I need to focus," was his only reply.

They passed the couple without a word.

After that, there was silence again. Todomatsu was worked up, he could feel that. He didn't really understand why, but Todomatsu didn't want to talk about it, or anything at all, it seemed. So he let himself zone off, trying not to think too much about how much his legs was starting to ache.

And finally, after what felt like literal hours, he noticed something through the hazy smoke.

"It's the forest," Todomatsu murmured. "The lake is in there."

 _Is it dangerous?_

"It's void of life," he said. "All creatures avoid it because it gives you the sense that you are about to die. I might, uh … We'll probably have to back each other up a bit."

 _It can't be that bad, can it?_

"Please don't say that when I don't have any wood to knock on."

The forest came closer, and Ichimatsu could make out more of it. The trees seemed to be pitch black. There weren't any leaves on them, and they all looked quite dead, yet the trees grew close to each other, giving it a wild, dangerous appearance. Even from the outside, Ichimatsu felt that he didn't particularly want to go into it, and it wasn't just because it was human to be scared of the dark. No, the forest _reeked_ of danger. He could only imagine what it would be like when they got inside of it.

He tried ignoring the growing feeling of fear as they got closer to the forest, but even when he previously had thought this trip had gone terribly slowly, they reached the forest way too fast. Todomatsu stopped momentarily at the edge of it, and took a deep breath. His heart, or Ichimatsu's heart, was beating rapidly.

"It's okay," he whispered. He started walking.

Immediately, a thought crossed his mind. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. Maybe he _could_ help everyone out as a human. He could study with Karamatsu – He was painful, but he wasn't _that_ bad. Not compared to this, at least.

"Ichimatsu," Todomatsu said loudly. "Don't get distracted. Focus on your goal. This is what you want."

 _What if it isn't?_

"The forest is affecting you," Todomatsu said. "Just try to calm down."

 _You're not so calm yourself,_ Ichimatsu pointed out.

"I've been on edge since the Fields of Punishment," he said. "You know that."

 _Are you gonna tell me why?_

"Not right now," he said, speeding up a bit. "I'm afraid I might lose it. Let's just get this over with."

Ichimatsu had never been talkative, but he quickly decided it was better to lead a conversation than to focus on the growing fear in his chest. _You said you'll have to leave because the transformation takes too long,_ he said. _How long is that, exactly?_

"Time is faster down here," Todomatsu said. "On the Surface, only a few hours will pass until both of us are back, but down here it will feel noticeably longer. When you go into the water, you have to let yourself drown. Hold your breath until you can't anymore. You'll know when it's time to resurface."

 _Are you saying that I'll have to kill myself to become a Reaper?_

"Well… If it had been a normal lake, you would've died, but not here. You'll just change. But yeah, basically."

He sighed mentally. _Great,_ he mumbled. _This keeps getting better and better._

Todomatsu gave a half-hearted giggle. "Sorry, wish I could stay with you," he said, but the way he said it made it obvious that it was a blatant lie.

 _I thought demons were good at deceiving,_ Ichimatsu commented.

"I can be if I want to," he said. "But honestly, nobody wants to be here. It wouldn't be believable either way. Fun fact – my brother is better at lying than I am, but he usually doesn't care enough to do it."

 _Do you have an example?_

He hummed. "You know, manipulating people. Say we wanted someone's soul – You can't just take it, you see. It's bad for you. I can get back to that later. Anyway, we'd have to make the human offer their soul, right?"

 _You say it as if I'm familiar with the situation._

Todomatsu laughed an actual, honest laugh this time. "Right, well," he continued. "Personally, I'd search for their hidden desires, you know, stuff that you guys would consider sins, often. Make them crave things more than they already do, and I'd make them think that giving away your soul isn't as bad as it sounds. While Osomatsu is more direct. He plays on fear, most of the time. Scares them into giving away their souls, you know. I'm not all that familiar with how he does it, but I know he can be quite frightening sometimes."

Ichimatsu didn't particularly like thinking about that. _How charming,_ he said dryly.

"I know right," he said. "But then again, he's a lazy asshole. Evil people's souls are easier to get, so we usually go for people who would go to Hell anyway."

 _But if you had the chance to eat good people's souls, you would take it?_

"Why, Ichimatsu," Todomatsu said. "Are you offended because of that? I _am_ a demon."

If he could roll his eyes, he would. _Whatever_ , he murmured. _I think I'll care less about it when I become a Reaper._

A sudden sound made them both jump. Todomatsu gave a squeak. "Did you hear that?" he hissed.

 _You said this forest was void of life, right?_ Ichimatsu asked wearily.

"I said it was void of life because creatures don't _like_ to be here, but it didn't stop us, so it wouldn't stop anyone else either." Todomatsu's breath started to become heavier. "M- Maybe we should come back with more firearms?"

 _We don't have time for that!_ Ichimatsu hissed back. _Listen to your own words. We're safe in here. Keep walking._

"It's easy for you to say!" Todomatsu snarled, though the fear in his voice didn't make him sound very intimidating. "I'm the one that has to do the actual walking!"

 _You're aware that I can feel every damn step you take, right?_ he asked. _Why don't you just leave my body and we'll go together? Nobody will find us here._

Todomatsu shook his head. "I don't think your body will handle it," he said. "How does your legs feel?"

 _Like they're rotting away._

"My point exactly," he said. "If I leave your body, this will go even slower, and I'm already on the brink of-" There was a rustling in some bushes nearby. "…panic." Todomatsu finished quietly, before speeding up. He tried breathing normally, but it was still uncomfortably close to hyperventilating.

 _It's okay, Totty,_ Ichimatsu said, not noticing the use of his nickname before he'd already said it. However, somehow, it soothed the demon a little bit. _Are we close?_

"I don't know," he whispered back. "I don't – I don't know how big this forest is. All I know is that the more scared we get, the closer we are, so I hope … I hope we're close, because I don't think I can handle this."

 _Yes, you can,_ Ichimatsu insisted, although he felt the exact same way and he was a fucking hypocrite. _Just try to breathe normally. We're safe._

"Y- Yeah, you're right," Todomatsu whispered, looking around himself. The trees grew so close together, big parts of the forest was pitch black. "Okay. We're safe, we're safe, we're-"

He abruptly stopped walking, panic making his body go rigid. "I- Ichimatsu…" he whispered, his voice barely audible. "I think… I think something's b- behind me."

Ichimatsu felt Todomatsu's fear as well as his own. No matter how hard he tried to ignore it, Todomatsu was convinced something was behind them. Something big, dangerous… _Don't stand still,_ he said without thinking. _Don't look back._

Todomatsu bolted forward without another word. His vision blurred, and sobs forced their way through his panicked gasps. However, no matter how fast they ran, the feeling of being hunted just became stronger, as if they were being chased right into a trap. As Todomatsu was the one doing the running, Ichimatsu tried focusing. Thinking through the ringing in his ears was one of the hardest thing he'd ever done. _It's just a feeling,_ he said, trying to sound assuring. _It's just a feeling. We're okay, this is normal. We're safe. We're gonna be fine. Soon will be back home. We'll be fine, we'll be fine, we'll be-_

Todomatsu gave a yell as he tripped in a root of a tree, crashing to the ground. He caught himself with his hands, and pain shot up from his left wrist. Todomatsu merely gave a grunt, but probably noticed Ichimatsu's hurt yelp, because the next thing he said was a choked "S- Sorry!" The demon crawled forward, scrambling away from whatever was behind them, desperately trying to hide in the big roots of a tree. Ichimatsu couldn't feel angry when he curled into a ball, ducking his head while panicked whimpers and sobs racked his body. The ringing in his ears was drowning out everything else.

He didn't know how long they sat like that, but he couldn't care either. The fear clouded his thoughts, making him unable to think of anything but immediate needs – and that need was to be safe. He desperately wanted to get out of here. This was a bad idea. This was a really fucking _bad idea._

But then … Nothing happened. _Todomatsu,_ he hissed. _Get out of my body._

He didn't need to be told twice. Again, he felt his lungs being restricted, and his head was thrown backwards as black smoke poured out of his mouth. And then it was abruptly over – Todomatsu was sitting in front of him, crouched down in the exact same pose as Ichimatsu. He reached for the demon's hands, bringing them up to his lips.

"Hey," he said, voice hoarse. "It's alright. We have to keep going."

Todomatsu was shaking violently. Or was it Ichimatsu who was shaking?

Sobbing, he shook his head. "I can't."

"Together," he said, leaning forward to bring his arms underneath Todomatsu's. "Come on."

He shook his head again, but stood up either way when Ichimatsu did. His legs were burning, and he was sure that if he wasn't this powered with adrenaline, he would have collapsed. They started walking again, trying not to trip. Ichimatsu had his arm protectively around Todomatsu. Not only because Todomatsu needed that comfort, but because it reminded Ichimatsu that he wasn't alone here.

"There's nothing there," he said, trying to focus on the pain in his wrist. He knew that was real. His broken wrist was real. Not the monster behind them. "There's nothing there."

"There's nothing there," Todomatsu whimpered.

Ichimatsu bit his lips harshly every time he felt panic overcome him, bringing him back to reality. The pain brought tears to his eyes, but he didn't care. He couldn't hear anything, but he could sense something behind him – He was _so_ sure there was something behind them, breathing them in their necks, just waiting to snuff the life out of their eyes, it was just a matter of seconds, and then-

They pushed through some tangled branches, and suddenly there was no more trees. Ichimatsu blinked, looking around himself. They were in a clearing. A few meter in front of them stretched a small, dark lake. The panic subsided quickly, and Ichimatsu slowly turned back to the forest.

There was nothing there. Of course it wasn't.

He took a shaky breath, and looked at Todomatsu. He was wearing the same bewildered expression as he was.

The demon sniffled. "Sorry," he mumbled. "I- Ichimatsu."

Ichimatsu blinked, then looked away bashfully. "Don't be," he replied quietly. He was used to being the older brother because of Jyushimatsu, but it still felt a little unfamiliar when he felt the same towards Todomatsu, who was probably about the same age as him anyway. Nobody really kept track of how old they were when they were immortal.

He turned to look at the lake again, and started walking towards it. Todomatsu followed closely, looking like the panic from the forest still hadn't completely left him yet.

"Am I supposed to just … go into it?" Ichimatsu asked.

Todomatsu nodded. Ichimatsu took a deep breath, before taking a step forward, but then Todomatsu grabbed his arm. He turned back to him.

"J- Just," he said, turning a bit red. "Uh … Come back as soon as possible, okay? Stay safe.»

Ichimatsu was sure his own face turned just as red. "… Sure…" he said slowly, looking to his feet. "I'll try my best."

Todomatsu nodded, retracting his hand. Ichimatsu turned towards the lake again. He closed his eyes, walking forward. The water was ice cold – It had to be the only cold thing in all of Hell. He choked the gasp building up in his chest.

"What is it?" Todomatsu asked.

"It's cold," Ichimatsu breathed. He held his breath and braced himself, then marched into the water, trying to ignore the way his body protested. He came to a point where the water abruptly became very deep, and he yelped as he submerged, before quickly remerging again, gasping, and coughing up water. It burned in his throat.

" _Ichimatsu_?"

"I'm okay," he rasped, and gritted his teeth as he started swimming further out. "Okay…" he mumbled. He clenched his eyes shut again, and let all the air out of his lungs. Then he dived into the water, letting himself sink to the bottom.

"Dude, I've never really needed sleep, but I feel like I could sleep for forty years, like, all the time now," Osomatsu said, as he sat down on the sofa besides Karamatsu. "Are Jyushimatsu and Choromatsu still out?"

Karamatsu, who'd nodded off a little until Osomatsu came into the room, blinked his eyes open, trying to focus on the devil. "Uh, I think so. Jyushimatsu somehow convinced him to try using his wings for flying," he said. "If you don't mind me asking, why _can't_ he fly, actually?

"Oh, he's been in a lake his whole life until I convinced him to leave it," Osomatsu said. "He hasn't needed to use them until now."

"You… You convinced him?" Karamatsu asked, suddenly weary. Demons were deceivers, so maybe…

"Not like that!" Osomatsu said, waving his arms. "He was in danger, um … Sort of because of me, but it was an accident. And I needed is help, so."

"Ah, I see…" He folded his hands together. "Is he okay with that?"

Osomatsu shrugged. "I don't know. I think he's adjusting to the outside world. He's a goodie-two-shoes in my opinion. He hadn't even gotten a clear reason for why he had to stay in that lake, yet he's stayed there for several millennia. Who knows how long he would've stayed there if I hadn't knocked some sense into his head. Not physically, of course."

Karamatsu gave a small laugh. "I got that," he said.

A few moments of silence passed between them.

"You have a nice house," Osomatsu commented, and to Karamatsu's surprise, he slid sideways, until he was resting his head on his lap, the same way he'd done with Choromatsu earlier. "Is this okay? You'll have to deal with it either way. Sorry, I don't make the rules." He grinned up at him.

Karamatsu didn't fight the smile on his lips. "It's okay," he said. "And – Thank you. It's not big enough for six, but … It's usually just me, and then it's a little too spacious."

Osomatsu pressed his lips together. "Yeah… You used to live here with your parents? Uh… Sorry about their passing. Just remembered I didn't say that the first time." The devil frowned confusedly, as if he couldn't believe what he was saying. Maybe this was what they'd been talking about when they said Choromatsu's morals would affect him.

He nodded. "It's okay. It's a long time ago now," he said, giving a small smile.

"How were they?" Osomatsu asked. His voice was quiet, and he was looking away, as if he was a little shy to actually ask the question. From what Karamatsu had gathered, Osomatsu didn't exactly have the best relationship with his own parents. Or, parent.

"Well," Karamatsu looked up into the roof. He tried remembering their faces, but the images were blurry. They hadn't been bad people, but … "I didn't really… see them much."

Osomatsu looked at him then. "Why?"

"They were busy people," he said. "Famous exorcists and preachers. They were traveling a lot, because people called them when they needed help with an exorcism and such."

"So they didn't have time to take care of their kid?" Osomatsu asked with irritation in his voice.

Karamatsu glanced down at him, but swallowed and looked away again. "I… I don't blame them. It was their life work, so…" He trailed off, not knowing how to continue. He hated actually talking about his parents. It was easier to just imagine them as great exorcists and idols, and not dwell on the fact that he'd barely known them at all.

Osomatsu clicked his tongue. "Did they love you?" he asked after a few seconds.

He blinked. "Uh … I- I guess? All parents love their children, right?" he said, before realizing who he was talking to. Osomatsu raised his eyebrows at him. "Oh G- I'm so sorry, I didn't think-"

"Don't worry about it," Osomatsu interrupted, smiling lopsidedly. "I was hoping I could relish in the thought of having decent parents, but it seems you didn't have the best relationship with yours either. Not to sound insensitive, it's just…" He looked up to the ceiling. He took a deep breath, then gave a sigh. "Forget it. You know," He looked at Karamatsu again. "It doesn't matter. We can be family now."

Karamatsu's eyes widened. He felt his cheeks heat up. "Really?" he said, not meaning to sound as eager as he did. Osomatsu laughed.

"Sure thing. I'm already Todomatsu's older brother, so I can be yours as well," he said, grinning. Then his smile turned a bit more impish. "Unless you have something against being brothers with, you know, literally the opposite of what you worship."

"Oh," Karamatsu frowned. "I'm sure it's fine. Only God can condemn."

Osomatsu got a strained look on his face, before he relaxed again. "Sure," he said. "Then it's settled. You can call me Osomatsu-niisan now."

This time it was Karamatsu who laughed. "Osomatsu-niisan," he said, the words flowing way too easily over his lips.

"Hell yeah," Osomatsu said smugly. They grinned at each other, and Osomatsu opened his mouth to say something more, but just then, the front doors opened.

"Totty is back!" Jyushimatsu announced. "The mission was a success!"

Osomatsu craned his neck, but didn't seem like he was going to sit up. "Of course it did," he said. "My little brother is just that go- Woah, you look messed up."

"Thanks," Todomatsu said dryly. His hair was in disarray, and he had dirt on his somewhat tattered clothes. "I'm never going there ever again. Where's the bathroom?"

"Through the kitchen," Karamatsu supplied. "The shower is kind of old and hard to manage, but-"

"I don't care," Todomatsu said, and almost ran to the bathroom.

"Cherrymatsu," Osomatsu chirped. "How's the flying coming on?"

The goddess sent him an annoyed glare.

"He's really bad at it!" Jyushimatsu replied, smiling broadly. Osomatsu laughed loudly as Choromatsu's face slowly became redder.

"Shut up," the goddess said, crossing his arms. "I haven't used my wings properly in literal thousands of years. Have some patience. Did you fall asleep on Karamatsu as well?"

"No, we've just been chilling," he said as Choromatsu and Jyushimatsu came to sit down on the sofa opposite of them. "Karamatsu was telling me about his parents. They were great exorcists. I wonder what they would think if they knew his brother was a devil."

"Brother?" Choromatsu echoed confusedly.

Osomatsu giggled, reaching up to awkwardly ruffle Karamatsu's hair. "It's decided," he said. "We're family now."

Choromatsu looked at Karamatsu, who just smiled contently back at him.

The goddess chuckled. "Okay then."

"Karamatsu-niisan," Jyushimatsu piped up. "What's your full name? No one of us has last names, so we'll have to use yours, to become family!"

"Wait," Choromatsu said. "You can't just decide that _all_ of us are family. Shouldn't the rest of the group be here for that as well?"

"Why, don't you want to be a part of our cute family, Choromatsu?" Osomatsu said, faking hurt in his voice.

Choromatsu hesitated, a blush dusting his cheeks again. "I didn't … say that," he mumbled.

"It's decided!" Jyushimatsu said, echoing Osomatsu's words. "And since Totty is Osomatsu's brother, and Ichimatsu is my brother, they're automatically in as well! Karamatsu-niisan!"

"It's Karamatsu Matsuno," he said, unable to stop smiling. He tried ignoring the lump stubbornly forming in his throat.

Though what happened next was enough to distract him from it. Choromatsu's jaw had gone slack, and Jyushimatsu had given a shocked " _Ah!?_ "

He blinked confusedly. "What?" he asked, wondering if he'd somehow ruined everything. "Is that… Is it bad?"

"Karamatsu," Choromatsu said, frowning deeply. "I think I know who your parents were."

"I do too!" Jyushimatsu exclaimed. "They're famous! Everyone in the Heavens knows about them! They were great help! Angels were even grieving when they passed."

Karamatsu's heart leaped up into his throat. " _Really_?" he gasped, bringing his hands together. "That's … I had no idea."

"You're probably a really good exorcist then," Choromatsu said, smiling softly. "Once you get to learn it properly." He frowned, looking down at Osomatsu. "Are you okay?"

Karamatsu looked down at him as well. The devil had a blank look in his eyes. "Karamatsu…" he said quietly. "How did your parents die?"

He swallowed, dreading to have to tell this story again. "It's, uh… It's a tragedy, really. People know only part of the story. They say my mother went insane and killed my father, before killing herself, but…"

Osomatsu stiffened, sitting up. He couldn't see his facial expression, but judging by Choromatsu's narrowed eyes, he _could_ , and it was a strange one.

He was about to ask what the problem was, but then the house suddenly creaked loudly, as if the winds outside had suddenly picked up. All of them got this their feet when dark smoke gathered in the middle of the living room, swirling in a miniature tornado, before materializing into a black cloaked figure. The person stumbled ungracefully to the side, and had to lean against the wall to remain standing. It was then that Karamatsu recognized his face.

Jyushimatsu got to his feet, his smile completely gone. "Ichimatsu-niisan," he breathed incredulously.

Ichimatsu looked back at him and gave him a faint, but wicked smile. "Yo," he said, a scythe appearing in his hand. "There's someone here I have to take with me."


	6. Chapter 6

«Eh?»

Ichimatsu was staring intently at Osomatsu, and the devil's jaw dropped. " _What_?" he exclaimed, though he looked more confused than he looked scared. "You can't kill _me_?"

"Not you." Ichimatsu rolled his eyes. "You obviously haven't noticed, but you're being haunted. By the demon you killed."

Osomatsu stiffened, before giving a nervous laugh, rubbing his neck. "Oh… That." Then he abruptly stood up. "Hold on- Are you saying he's here right now? That's _creepy._ Dude, mind your own business, maybe?" He looked around himself, as if he would be able to spot the ghost of the demon if he tried hard enough.

Jyushimatsu felt a shiver run down his spine. The thought of ghosts wasn't reassuring, even if they hadn't noticed until now. Maybe it was placebo, but he suddenly thought the room was a little colder than before.

"Careful," Ichimatsu said. "He'll get stronger the angrier he gets. Don't rile him up."

Osomatsu scoffed. "He's a _ghost._ What could he possibly-"

" _Ghosts?_ " Todomatsu stood in the kitchen doorway with a towel resting around his shoulders, his hair still wet. He'd dropped the shirt, but he was still wearing the same ripped pants. His face was showing obvious alarm. Then he noticed Ichimatsu, and his eyes widened. "Ichimatsu-niisan!" he gasped, before slapping his hands over his mouth. A violent blush spread across his face.

Ichimatsu didn't look much better. "U-Um…" he started gracefully.

Osomatsu snorted, before hollering with laughter.

"Niisan!" Todomatsu cried.

"Which one?" the devil retorted, wiping tears away from his eyes.

Jyushimatsu gave a laugh as well, but was quickly followed by Choromatsu's irritated groan.

"Guys," he said sternly, giving Osomatsu a firm look. "Can we focus? Ichimatsu?"

Ichimatsu sent Osomatsu an annoyed look, before averting his eyes, gripping tightly around his scythe. "Some souls have things they need to do in order to cross over to the other side. It could be harmless, but of course, if you get killed, you might want some sort of revenge on your murderer. Which means you, Osomatsu."

Osomatsu tilted his head to the side. "What, he wants to kill me? We can't let him do that. Is he saying this to you right now?" he asked. "Also, how do you know all this? Did you take a crash course in Reaping or something? You weren't gone for _that_ long."

He gritted his teeth. "Not that," he said. "He's not strong enough to kill you. He's not talking to me, but I can feel his desires. I know what he has to do before moving on. And, I just know, okay. Call it a … Reaper instinct or something, I don't know."

"I don't wanna," Osomatsu said, crossing his arms. "I don't own him shit."

"You did murder him, though," Choromatsu reminded him.

"He had it coming!"

The windows suddenly shuddered. Todomatsu bolted over to his brother, gripping his arm tightly. "Niisan," he hissed, staring intently at him. "You have to do what he wants. If this ghost doesn't get the hell out of here soon, then I swear, I fucking will."

"Totty is right," Ichimatsu said. "He won't leave until he gets what he wants. So either you'll have to deal with an increasingly angry, a.k.a. an increasingly powerful, spirit, or you just have to endure this, and I will take him with me. It's not that hard."

Osomatsu groaned. " _Fine,_ " he said, before catching himself. "Wait- What even is –" He interrupted himself with a strained gasp, clutching his chest as he bent forward. Todomatsu jumped, and tried to support him as his knees buckled beneath him.

Everyone except Ichimatsu took a step forward, and Choromatsu was with him in a second. "What's going on?" he demanded.

Osomatsu gave a wheeze. "I'm okay," he gasped, putting a hand on Todomatsu's shoulder to support himself. He had to take a few moments, taking deep breaths, before he managed to stand up again. "What the hell?"

Ichimatsu shrugged. "I don't know," he said. "He probably tried to kill you, but he can't do that, so." His eyes moved across the room, as if he was following someone with his eyes. They came to a stop a bit to the left of himself.

The devil groaned. "Bitch move," he muttered. "Is he gone now?"

"He will be." Ichimatsu raised his scythe. Jyushimatsu's heart sped up as he felt an unknown energy coming from him. In a swift motion, he swung the scythe. The windows shuddered slightly again, and Jyushimatsu automatically looked towards them, almost missing the way Ichimatsu winced.

"Niisan?" he called, darting over to his brother. He was standing slightly bent over, his face scrunched up in discomfort. "Ichimatsu-niis- Ah!" He reacted quickly as Ichimatsu stumbled sideways, gripping him tightly to support him.

Ichimatsu held on to his shoulder, quiet for a few moments, before shakily getting to his feet. "Sorry," he mumbled. "Not used to this kind of power."

"Is it the pain? That Reaper thing?" Osomatsu piped up from behind him.

Ichimatsu averted his eyes. "I don't know," he said. "Maybe. Didn't hurt so much, though."

Todomatsu knocked on the table, earning some weird looks from the rest of them. "Knock on wood," he said, shrugging.

"I'm okay," he said, letting go off Jyushimatsu. He sent him half a smile. "Don't worry."

Jyushimatsu smiled back, although the uneasy feeling in his stomach didn't settle. Judging by Ichimatsu's strained expression, he wasn't comfortable with all this attention, so he quickly decided to change the subject. "You can fly now, can't you?" he said, flapping his arms. "You can come help Choromatsu practice!"

"Speaking of practice," Karamatsu said. Jyushimatsu had almost forgotten he was there, as he'd been so quiet since Ichimatsu came back. The priest turned to Osomatsu. "I just became aware that this makes me the only human in this group. Could we practice some more? I have to become stronger, to try to keep up with you guys, and… Now that I know that my parents were-"

"That can wait until tomorrow, can't it?" Osomatsu interrupted, his words just a little too fast for it to seem normal. His face was blank, and didn't betray any emotions – But that was weird in itself. Osomatsu wasn't supposed to react like this. He would groan and complain about being tired if that was the problem, but it definitely wasn't. Jyushimatsu could tell, and from the look Todomatsu and Choromatsu gave him, they noticed as well.

"It's late – No, it's actually _really_ early," he continued. "You _are_ human after all, so you need sleep. Aren't you tired?"

Karamatsu blinked. "Well, now that you mention it… But you don't need to worry about me, brother, I can-"

"Actually, I'm really tired as well," Ichimatsu said. "I'm going to bed."

Choromatsu pressed his lips together, but nodded. "Actually, Osomatsu is right," he said. "We could all need some rest."

"Great, I'm about to pass out," Osomatsu said, faking a yawn. "Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite and all that." He hustled out of the room, leaving the others in confused silence.

Jyushimatsu looked to where Osomatsu had disappeared, before looking back at Karamatsu, who was scratching his chin, probably trying to figure out a way to survive without sleep if Jyushimatsu knew him correctly. He seemed normal, but Osomatsu was acting almost skittish around him all of a sudden. Something was going on between those two, and he wanted to figure out what it was.

Choromatsu felt like he'd rather die if he couldn't stay in bed just a little longer. Not that it was very early, it was around 1 PM, but the recent events had left him absolutely exhausted, so even if his body didn't physically _need_ sleep, and even though he had slept for about eight hours, he was still fuming with morning grumpiness as Jyushimatsu pulled him by the arm into Karamatsu's backyard to practice flying. He'd asked him if they could wait a few hours, but he said he'd already waited _forever._ He'd asked why Ichimatsu wasn't present yet, in which Jyushimatsu just shook his head.

"He needs rest," he said. "I asked him to come out when he wakes up."

Ok, so Ichimatsu could sleep, but he couldn't? He wanted to seem motivated and responsible, so he didn't want to complain, but oh, how he longed to crawl back in the warm, comfortable blankets of his bed.

"Can he even see us?" he asked, as they'd turned themselves invisible to hide from pedestrians. They could see each other, because they were both heavenly beings, while Ichimatsu…

"Yes! We tested it out yesterday. Since Reapers are neutral, they can see everything!" Jyushimatsu grinned, clapping his hands together. "How are your wings?"

Choromatsu stretched them, making a face. "Stiff," he said.

"Then let's warm up! And you won't feel stiff anymore!"

"I'm not sure if that's how it wo-"

"Hustle, hustle! Muscle, muscle!"

Choromatsu sighed, but straightened his back, beginning to flap his wings the way Jyushimatsu was doing, bracing himself for the next two hours of most definitely hard work, knowing the angel.

About 75 minutes later, Jyushimatsu had managed to get them up on the roof, and was prompting him to just jump off "because if you're close to falling, then your body might instinctively react with flying, and then you'd learn it!" … It was the "might" part of that theory that bothered him. He took a step over to the edge of the roof. It wasn't even that high, just two stories tall. His legs wouldn't break or anything if he hit the ground. Yet, his heart sped up at the thought of that happening.

He turned back to Jyushimatsu, who was beaming encouragingly. "I don't think this is a good idea…" he said slowly, but the angel just shook his head.

"Trust me!"

He pressed his lips together. He liked Jyushimatsu. He trusted him in many ways. This just… wasn't one of them. But yet, he turned back again, facing his incoming doom. He spread his wings, and took a few calming breaths. Then he leaped forward, desperately trying to move his wings the way he wanted to. For a few moments, he was soaring through the air – And then it abruptly went downwards. He gave a yelp, flapping his wings in a frantic attempt to keep himself airborne, but to no avail.

A gust of wind warned him of his literal saving grace, before Jyushimatsu gripped him around his chest, lowering them gracefully to the ground. Choromatsu shakily stepped away from him. He could feel is face burning up.

"That was terrible…" he mumbled, rubbing his neck.

"Don't worry! You just have to practice more!" Jyushimatsu slapped him on his back, before swirling around, shooting himself off the ground to land on the roof again. When he got up there, he turned back to Choromatsu, motioning for him to come up as well.

Choromatsu pouted. "I think I need a break," he called.

Jyushimatsu gave a disappointed yell. If someone managed to give a disappointed _yell,_ then it had to be Jyushimatsu.

"Just ten minutes!" he added, gesturing apologetically.

"I'll be down in ten minutes, then!" Jyushimatsu turned back, before easily leaping off the roof, rising up into the sky like it was no problem at all. Which it probably wasn't, for him.

He watched him as he rose further and further away from the ground, making ridiculous loops and plunges. Choromatsu wasn't sure if he was doing it for fun, or to impress him, or both. Jyushimatsu didn't seem like the type to need validation, but on the other hand, Jyushimatsu was just a big mystery. How he could be a big mystery, while still gaining everyone's trust and love effortlessly, was just another question to add to the list.

Their group had only been together for a few days. Had it even been a week? Yet there were just some things you can't experience together without forming a bond. Besides, it made it easier to trust each other when all of them would meet their doom if they didn't work together. They didn't have any other choice.

But Choromatsu couldn't say that it was the only reason for why he didn't feel uneasy around them anymore. He simply cared for them, no matter how ironic or strange it was.

The backyard wasn't very big, but behind it was a large hay field, stretching all the way to the road, which separated it from the ocean. It made the backside of Karamatsu's house seem much more isolated than it really was, and it made Choromatsu feel calm and comfortable, and safe.

He noticed some clouds starting to form in the distance. Dark, scary looking clouds coming towards them with worrisome speed. He frowned, studying the clouds. Weren't they closing in … a bit _too_ fast?

Just as the thought crossed his mind, there was a rumbling sound, and suddenly clouds were forming rapidly above them. Jyushimatsu was dangerously close to them, but he'd stopped playing around when he heard the rumble. Choromatsu's heart sped up. This wasn't normal.

Jyushimatsu seemed to consider this a fitting moment to get down again, but as he turned around, lightning lit up the sky, making aggressive patterns in the clouds. The thunder followed immediately. Suddenly, three figures dived out of the sky towards Jyushimatsu. They shot something at him, but he managed to dodge it, now struggling to keep himself airborne.

"Jyushimatsu!" Choromatsu yelled, but surely his voice was too weak to reach him through the sound of the sky rumbling. He tried jumping off the ground the way the angel had done earlier, but his wings weren't strong enough to carry him more than a few meters up in the air. He fell down again clumsily, then looked up at Jyushimatsu.

He was fighting against all three of the angels that had descended, lights appearing and disappearing rapidly as the angels fired magic at him, and Jyushimatsu reflected it. He remembered Jyushimatsu saying that magic had never been his strongest side, and he could see that he was trying to use his physical agility to his favor as he dodged the attacks, but three against one was in no way fair.

Choromatsu lifted his arms to the sky, facing his palms towards them, but the four of them were moving around too quickly for him to get a clear shot. He could accidentally hit Jyushimatsu. He gritted his teeth, and was about to run inside to get Ichimatsu, but just then he heard a shrill cry, and snapped his head back again to see Jyushimatsu plummeting to the ground.

"Jyushi-" Choromatsu couldn't do anything. He was too far away. He wouldn't make it to him time, even if-

A shadow, followed by a violent gust of wind, passed him, sending him stumbling to the side. All that happened next, happened almost too quickly for him to follow: He could barely make out a winged, human form in the fuming darkness bulleting towards Jyushimatsu. _Ichimatsu_. The Reaper caught him midair, while at the same time spewing a tornado of dark smoke directly at the other angels, making them scatter in every direction, before disappearing in a beam of light.

Choromatsu stumbled forward and bolted towards them, panic clouding his mind. As the thundering subsided, and rain started pouring from the sky, the haunting sound of sobbing came closer and closer, coming from the last person Choromatsu ever thought would show any other emotion that happiness. The angel was clutching his shoulder, crouched into a ball while Ichimatsu stood over him with a horrified expression on his face. He was looking at Jyushimatsu's wing. It was…

Choromatsu forced down the bile in his throat. "Jyushimatsu!" he called yet again as he closed in on them. He stopped a few meters away as Ichimatsu carefully got to his knees and brought his arms around Jyushimatsu's neck, kissing his head softly. The angel's body was shaking violently. He couldn't see his face, since he was burying it in Ichimatsu's chest. Ichimatsu, however, had a dangerously blank look on his face. It was worse than when he actually acted out on his anger. This was new. This was the kind of fury that led people to do terrible things.

"Can you heal this?" he asked, voice hard.

Choromatsu bit down on his lip, and scurried over. The wing was bent in a way that made him feel faint. This wasn't an accident – Breaking wings wasn't something that just _happened._ The bones were too strong, making it more or less impossible. No, those angels had used spells to be able to do this. They'd brought upon him one of the worst anguishes imaginable, just for leaving the Heavens to look after his brother. Anger rose in Choromatsu's chest.

"It's cursed," he said. His voice was hoarse and broken. "They… They did this on purpose. They cursed him to break his wing. I can't cure it."

Ichimatsu looked like if he hadn't been holding Jyushimatsu, he would have wrecked something. " _Those fucking-"_

"Niisan," Jyushimatsu sounded. His voice was muffled, and soft. Not anything like he should sound like. Ichimatsu leaned back, giving his brother a concerned look. But he was smiling. Jyushimatsu was smiling, but his eyes were red and swollen and terrified. "I'm okay."

"No, you're not," Ichimatsu said. "You didn't deserve this. They…" He gritted his teeth.

"We need to go back," Choromatsu said, looking up to the sky. "I believe they already got what they wanted, but we can't risk staying here right now. We need to go inside, and cast a protection spell around the house."

"Does that mean I have to stay inside the house?" Jyushimatsu asked quietly.

Choromatsu blinked, before crouching down beside the angel. "I'm sorry, Jyushimatsu," he said softly. "Just for the time being, until we're sure it's safe. I'm worried they might come back."

The angel stared at for a few moments, before pressing his lips together as tears pressed on again. But then, he smiled. "Okay," he said, taking a shaky breath. "Until we know it's safe."

"Can you stand?" Ichimatsu asked. He nodded slightly, and let Ichimatsu help him up. He winced, choking a whimper.

Choromatsu noted that Jyushimatsu probably wasn't the type to show off, but rather the type to hide certain emotions to not distress the people around him. Which was worrisome. Both he and Ichimatsu, and all heavenly beings, feared breaking their wings, because they all knew how much it would hurt. He shouldn't have to hold back things like that.

Even if they weren't that far away from the house, the walk back still went slowly, as Jyushimatsu gave pained gasps every time he took a step forward. Choromatsu wasn't nearly as furious as Ichimatsu, but he was angry enough to for once look up to the skies with disgust. If this was what people called the _good_ side, he really started to regret worshipping them for all these years…

The light coming from the windows didn't make the atmosphere of their game, or their "training session" as Karamatsu liked to call it, as scary as it was last time. It might also have something to do with the fact that Osomatsu didn't feel up for it, but he felt as if he couldn't let Karamatsu down. Not now. Not after that conversation yesterday…

So he'd decided to be quiet this time. No taunting words, no shuddering of the building … Karamatsu was on edge, he could tell. The silence was a big difference from last time, so he probably thought Osomatsu had something planned. Though, Osomatsu rarely planned anything, so it was a kind of stupid thing to assume.

He wasn't very observant either. Osomatsu, unlike Choromatsu and Jyushimatsu, didn't have the power to become invisible, so he just had to screw with Karamatsu's vision a bit, alter the way he saw his surroundings, so that he wouldn't be able to see Osomatsu even if he was standing right in front of him. Devils are deceivers, liars and illusionists. He knew his game.

Even with the obvious lighter mood in the church today, he could still feel Karamatsu's fear as he walked around the nave, waiting for the priest to do the first move. He thought it was weird that he could be that frightened when he knew this was just playing around, and that Osomatsu wasn't _actually_ out to get him. Though he did try to make it seem that way, to make the situation more realistic, and he _was_ pretty good at frightening his victims, if he might say so himself. It was his strategy when it came to getting souls anyway. Fear made it easier, thus not so much work. Not that he was going to take Karamatsu's soul, though.

The sinking feeling stabbed him in the gut again. What was this? Was this _guilt?_ Like, not even just a tiny bit, like when he realized he'd accidentally put Choromatsu's life in danger, but actual deep, painful, _intense_ guilt? This was because of Choromatsu's stupid soul binding, wasn't it? He gritted his teeth, kicking the bench in front of him.

The sound made Karamatsu jump, and he immediately started muttering something under his breath. A painful, but bearable feeling came over Osomatsu, like thousands of needles were prodding him all over his body. Except actual needles probably would've hurt more. He gave a sigh. Karamatsu had to do better than that.

He tried finding back to the mood he'd been in the last time they'd played, letting his powers gush out from himself, reflecting off the walls, until the whole nave was under his control. He made a humming sound. His voice filled every corner of the hall. "I'll give you a second chance on that one," he said. "Or it's game over."

He felt Karamatsu's heart speed up, and he continued mumbling Latin, while clutching the cross around his chest, as if it was of any help. It could be, if it was used properly, but it wasn't, in this case. The prodding on his body continued, but he could ignore it without much problem. Had he been relaxing someplace else and that feeling had overcome him, he would've complained and whined, but it was different when he expected it. It wouldn't have slowed him down on the battlefield.

He made his way over to Karamatsu, where he was standing with his eyes closed, brows furrowed in concentration. He couldn't hear what he was saying. Maybe that was the problem. Maybe he was too focused on sounding cool and dramatic that he forgot he actually had to pronounce the words right. Osomatsu put his hands in his pockets, leaning forward so that their noses were just a few inches apart. He opened his mouth to scare the priest the good old fashioned way, but then noticed something. His face, his features…

Suddenly, he felt sick. Not in a "I'm going to throw up" kind of way, but in a "I am a horrible person" kind of way, and honestly, how long had it been since he'd cared about that? Had he ever? Either way, looking at Karamatsu's face made him realize that his features were terribly familiar. How hadn't he seen it before? It had been long, but the memory still played on repeat in his mind sometimes. If Karamatsu knew…

Suddenly there was a shooting pain in his chest, and he let out a shocked and wounded yelp as he stumbled backwards, his control on the room flickering. Karamatsu gave a matching yell as Osomatsu suddenly became visible to him, and a series of emotions flashed over his face: Fear, triumph, worry, and then confusion. "Did it work?" he asked.

Osomatsu scoffed a little, looking back at Karamatsu. Apparently the look he had on his face wasn't a friendly one, because the priest took a step backwards. "Do it again," he said, the words out of his mouth before he had the chance to ask himself why he wanted that at all.

Maybe it was because he felt guilty?

No, what a stupid thought.

Then what was it?

"Are you sure?" Karamatsu asked.

He gritted his teeth, before darting forward, grabbing Karamatsu's collar and pushing him backwards until he was stuck between him and the wall. "You're too slow," he hissed. "If this had been real, you'd be dead. I would've killed you a long time ago."

"I'm sor-"

"Don't _apologize_! Just say the damn mantra!"

Karamatsu stared at him, his brows furrowed in worry. "Osomatsu, you're acting w-"

With a shrill growl, he pulled Karamatsu harshly by the collar, sending him crashing to the floor. The priest scrambled away from him quickly, but Osomatsu was faster, striding over to him to put his foot on his chest, pinning him to the ground. The way Karamatsu's eyes shined with fear now told him that his appearance had changed, looking more like the thing Karamatsu had been training to kill all his life.

"Your soul," Osomatsu said, trying to keep his voice from wavering. "It's so … _flashy._ Like it's just begging to be taken away from you. Do you know why? It's because you're afraid. Why are you afraid, Karamatsu? Don't you know what you're doing? Aren't you an exorcist?"

Karamatsu opened his mouth as if to protest to this unfair treatment, but then gritted his teeth. He started on his mantra again, but this time, Osomatsu knew it was coming. He already had shields up, protecting him from the spell, and the pang in his chest wasn't nearly as bad as the first time. The reason it had worked the first time was because he had been distracted by his own thoughts. He shook his head, pulling his lips up in a lifeless smile. "You're dead," he said, swiftly crouching down over him the way he'd done in the first training session. Karamatsu's soul was just beneath his skin. He barely had to inhale before he could feel it shifting in his grasp.

Karamatsu arched his back, trying to gasp as if his body was automatically trying to pull his soul back. His eyes were wide open, panic filling every part of his expression. And again, Osomatsu was so sure he'd seen that exact expression with the exact same eyes before…

He faltered. Karamatsu fell back limply, blinking up at him with a mix between fear and confusion. Osomatsu stared back at him, feeling something similar to panic forming in his chest. "K- Karamatsu," he started, blinking when he heard his own voice break a little. Their faces weren't that far apart. He could probably see the way his lip was quivering. Osomatsu stood up, turning away from him to drag a hand through his hair.

"Osomatsu?" Karamatsu asked softly behind him. "Is something wrong?"

He shook his head. "No," he lied. "It's just the damn soul binding. I- I don't think-"

"I can take it from here," Todomatsu's voice suddenly sounded, making both of them jump. The demon came walking out of the kitchen, holding a coffee cup in his hand. His expression told Osomatsu he knew a little too much about what was going on. "We'll be fighting mostly demons anyway. You should be practicing with me. And _you_ look like you need some rest." He gave Osomatsu a pointed look.

"Oh," Karamatsu said, folding his hands nervously. "You don't have to, if you don't want to, of course. I'm sure training can wait until-"

"Nah, I feel like I need to get some energy out anyway," Todomatsu said, giving a sweet smile. "Niisan, please go back to the house. Ichimatsu is probably awake now."

Osomatsu stared at him intently for a few seconds, before giving a light laugh. "Yeah, you're right. This soul binding thing is fucking with me. I'm gonna have a talk with Cherrymatsu." He turned halfway around, not daring to look at Karamatsu. "We can do this again later. Have fun with Totty. He likes to play dirty."

With that, he crossed the few meters across the nave to the doors. As he closed them behind him, he caught a glimpse of Todomatsu sending Karamatsu his sweetest smile, which probably meant, knowing him, that he wouldn't have mercy even if it was their first time training together.

It was actually about time to get back to the house anyway. Although the soul binding wasn't _really_ the problem for why he wanted to leave, it was still fatiguing to stay this far away from Choromatsu for this long. He wasn't far enough away to feel any pain, but he could sense a headache coming on, although that might not be because of the soul binding.

He let his head fall backwards and groaned loudly. He was going to go to Choromatsu and ask him if he could remove conscience from his store of emotions, and if he couldn't, he was going to ask him how to deal with it. Though he would probably come with some rubbish like… He had to recognize his faults and apologize or some shit. He didn't want to do that.

"It's still a long time to Halloween," a voice suddenly said. Osomatsu turned his head towards it, and saw to guys walking towards him. The one who'd spoken, he assumed, wore a cocky smile on his face, while the other snickered beside him.

Oh, right, his tail and horns. He raised his eyebrows at them, feeling the urge to project his anger – anger, not guilt – onto them. What stopped him from doing that? They were being rude. They were probably rude to other people as well. They probably deserved it. A smile etched itself across his face. "Really? I wouldn't know, I haven't been on the Surface regularly enough to know what date it is."

Both of them looked at him as if he was stupid. Which made him even angrier. "The hell?" the second man said.

"You're close," Osomatsu said, before darting forward at inhuman speed, gripping both of their collars. The first guy was a little taller than him, so he tugged him down harshly. His foot made a worrisome sound, and he let out a pathetic cry. Whrn the men looked at him again, their eyes widened in terror. Osomatsu flicked with his tail, tilting his head to the side. Their souls were already slipping up their throats, not giving a single fight, which meant two things – They were terrified, and they were bad people. Karamatsu's soul, although weak when he was afraid, had fought to not let itself get devoured, protecting Karamatsu from a fate worse than death. These men, however … Their souls were impure. They might as well have served them to him on a silver plate.

"Sorry about your foot," he said, grinning down at the man. "Let's make a deal. How would you like me to _not_ break any other bone in your body?"

"Please, I didn't mean to-"

Osomatsu kicked his broken foot. "Answer my question."

The man screamed again. "Y- Yes, yes! Whatever you want, just let me go!"

His friend seemed too scared to notice that he'd said "me " and not "us". An idea settled in Osomatsu's head. He turned to the other man, the one who had laughed at him. "You can go. Just abandon him, don't you think?" he said, letting go of his collar. The man didn't wait another second before he was running away, panting with panic. The first man tried turning to stare after him, looking like he'd been betrayed, but Osomatsu yanked him back. "Tragic. Your friend left you."

The man's eyes were getting teary.

Was this the right thing to do?

Osomatsu shook his head, chasing the intrusive thought away. "Are you crying?" he asked, giving a laughing scoff.

"P- Please, just- Just do whatever you want, just please let me go," he pleaded, voice breaking in several places. "I'll do whatever you want!"

"Offer me your soul."

"What?"

"Your soul," Osomatsu repeated, and leaned in closer to him, refusing to break eye contact. "Tell me you give it to me." He clenched his free fist, using the same magic on him as he'd done with the demon he'd killed, but had to stop to slap his hand over the man's mouth so that his screaming wouldn't attract attention. "Say it."

The man nodded desperately, and Osomatsu removed his hand. "T- Take it! Whatever the hell that means, it's yours!"

He grinned, gripping the man's hair to pull his head backwards. He could feel his soul moving, now even easier to get to than before. He inhaled. The man gasped as his eyes rolled into the back of his head. He could taste the soul on his tongue, the flavor sending chills down his back. It really had been a long time. He was about to take it all, but then his knees suddenly decided they couldn't properly hold his own weight. The grasp around the soul loosened, and he stumbled backwards. Somehow, he knew what was going on.

 _Choromatsu, you fucking-_

He looked back at the man, who was slowly getting to his senses again. He gave a growl, shoving the man away from himself. "Fuck off!" he ordered, before striding past him, walking as fast as he could while his legs still felt like fucking jelly.

The man scrambled to his feet, running clumsily down the road, the same way his friend had gone. Osomatsu paid no mind.

The rest of the walk to Karamatsu's house didn't take long. He was fuming when he slammed the front doors open, and although he was back to his more human form, he still felt like he could commit several murders right now. "Choromatsu!" he called, tramping into the living room. "You fucking piece of shit goodie-two-shoes – Woah, what's going on?"

Ichimatsu and Jyushimatsu were sitting on the floor. Jyushimatsu's back was turned to him, but Ichimatsu was wearing a concerned expression, which only loosened up a bit when he looked up at Osomatsu. But that wasn't what he was busy staring at right now.

"Jyushimatsu?" he said, slowly walking over to them. His wing was bandaged, and bound to his back for support.

The angel turned to him, a big smile on his face. "Osomatsu-niisan," he said, his tone not nearly reaching his usual hyperactive one. "Welcome back."

Osomatsu blinked, looking incredulously at him. He glanced at Ichimatsu, then crouched down, studying the broken wing. A shiver went through his body. He didn't know what it was like to have wings, so he could only imagine what it was like to break one. "What happened to you?" he asked.

"I ran away from home too," the angel said. "They wanted to punish me for breaking the rules. It's not as bad as a death sentence, but…" He shrugged with one shoulder, wincing a little. "They ambushed me when we were out flying. It's cursed, so it can't be cured with magic."

"Are you serious?" Osomatsu gave Ichimatsu a disbelieving look. The Reaper looked back to him with a stare that clearly said that he too was ready to commit murder. He clenched his teeth, standing up. " _Good guys,_ my ass. I can't wait until this is over so I can kick the Big Man's holy behinds."

"I don't know, that didn't work out so well for Lucifer," Ichimatsu commented. "But you can try, if you wanna. By the way, I think Choromatsu wants to talk to you. He just suddenly stood up and said you were doing something stupid, before tramping out into the backyard."

"Listen," Osomatsu said, crossing his arms. "I was _not_ doing anything stupid. Those assholes deserved it." Then he turned on his heal, marching towards the veranda with his nose in the air.

He walked outside, spotting Choromatsu standing at the edge of the yard, waving his arms in a circular motion. "Choromatsu!" he called, walking towards him while he felt belated anger bubble up in his chest again.

The goddess turned around, obviously trying to hide his nervousness behind a serious scowl. "Yes?"

"Don't _yes_ me! What the fuck made you think that you have the goddamn right to-"

"I _know_ when you are using your powers for evil, Osomatsu," he interrupted, crossing his arms. "That's the deal with soul binding. I couldn't just stand there and let you take that innocent man's soul."

"How about you mind your own damn business?" Osomatsu hissed. "If we didn't have this connection, you wouldn't have had a chance to stop me, so what's the difference? I'll let you know that I would 100% do it again. His soul tasted _fantastic._ "

Choromatsu wrinkled his nose in disgust. "It _is_ different. If we didn't have this connection, no, I wouldn't be able to stop you, but now that I _can_ , I'd feel guilty for leaving them to die. Don't you understand that?"

"Okay, first of all, they wouldn't die," Osomatsu said.

"I'm sorry, losing your soul is so much better, isn't it?"

"Don't fucking-" Osomatsu groaned, dragging a hand over his face. " _Secondly_ … What the fuck do you feel guilty for? _I'm_ the one doing the deed. You have nothing to do with that, so just let me eat a fucking soul! He deserved it!"

Choromatsu's scowl deepened. "It's not up to you to decide who deserves that or not," he said.

"But it _is_ up to me to decide what kind of punishment dead people will get in Hell for all eternity, so I _think_ I know what I'm doing, thank you very much."

The goddess stared incredulously at him. " _You do that?_ " he hissed.

Osomatsu shrugged. "Did, I guess," he said. "Among others. They _definitely_ deserved it, though."

"That's-" Choromatsu shook his head. "It's gross. Don't talk to me about that."

"Choromatsu! I am a _devil_! It's what I _do._ What do you expect of me?"

The goddess looked uncomfortable, but he was a stubborn character. He lifted his chin. "If we're going to work together, Osomatsu," he said, forcing his voice to remain calm. "We need to respect each other's boundaries. When all of this is over, when we break the soul binding, I won't bother you anymore, but please: While I can feel all the devilish things you, can you try to tone it down a bit?"

"Invading the control of my own body and powers is not respecting each other's boundaries, Choromatsu," Osomatsu retorted, and the goddess' shoulders sank.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I've already told you my reasons for doing it. If you promise that you won't use your powers on innocent people unless it's a fair reason behind it, then I promise I won't misuse the soul binding again. Please?"

Osomatsu gritted his teeth, hating his logic. "I don't wanna," he said, his voice taking on a more childish, whiny tone than the angry one from before. Choromatsu stared at him until he leaned his head backwards, giving a low groan. " _Fine._ But apologize to me."

"I already did that," he said.

"Do it again."

Choromatsu shook his head. "I'm sorry," he said, although the way he said it didn't make it sound like he really was.

But it was okay. Osomatsu grinned, throwing an arm around the goddess' shoulder. Ironically, arguing with him had made him feel a little better. It distracted him from the bad thoughts.

"By the way," Choromatsu said, sending him an annoyed glance that didn't match the stubborn smile playing on his lips. "Speaking of guilt. What is it you're feeling guilty about?"

Osomatsu froze. "What?"

"Your guilt," Choromatsu repeated. "I can't feel your emotions unless they're either dangerous, or very strong. This one goes with the last option. What are you thinking about?"

He pressed his lips together, while several swear words ran through his head at an amazing speed. "Guilt?" he repeated, wrinkling his nose. He knew it wasn't any point in acting innocent, but he did it anyway. "I don't feel guilt. It's a perk of coming from Hell."

Choromatsu deadpanned. "Osomatsu," he said. "Last night when we talked to Karamatsu we were all having a nice moment, then you suddenly started acting strange. At first I thought _I_ felt guilty for some reason, but then I realized it was coming from you."

Osomatsu pulled his hand away, refusing to look at the other. "It's nothing."

He looked at him for a long time. "Why did you wonder how Karamatsu's parents died, Osomatsu?" he asked softly.

If Choromatsu could feel his guilt before, then he definitely could now. "I-" he started, but was interrupted when an invisible force pushed him forward. He stumbled, before swirling around to meet whatever enemy had managed to sneak up on him, but when he did, there was nothing there. He blinked, giving Choromatsu a bewildered look. The goddess looked just as confused, having stumbled backwards as well.

"What the-"

It happened again, stronger this time. Osomatsu tripped in his own feet, falling on his ass.

"It's coming from the house," Choromatsu said, then bit his lip. "Jyushimatsu."

" _Jyushimatsu_?"

He turned around and quickly helped him up. "Come on. Something's wrong."

Agony pierced through his entire body for each breath he took. Bandaging the wing had almost been as painful as when he'd actually broken it, except it had happened again and again as Ichimatsu had bound his wing to his back. He knew Ichimatsu was angry – He could tell, even if he wasn't talking. When he did talk, it was to order Jyushimatsu to tell him when it hurt too much. But it had to be done anyway, right? No point in making the process go slower. So he'd shaken his head lightly, giving a grin, but hasn't trusted his voice enough to talk.

The truth was of course that his body could barely handle it. That, and together with the sorrow that was slowly creeping up on him, made it harder and harder to keep his emotions in check. Why had this happened to him? All he wanted to do was to protect his brother! Sure, he'd committed a horrible crime, but he wasn't a bad person! He didn't deserve to lose his wings – He didn't deserve to wander around the earth alone. And Jyushimatsu didn't deserve this. He wouldn't be able to fly for months. He would barely be able to move for weeks. If he didn't have his physical agility, what did he have? Nothing.

 _Nothing._

Ichimatsu suddenly gave him an alarmed look. "Jyushima-"

He gave a rasping yell, as something bubbled up in his chest, and Ichimatsu was thrown backwards, crashing into the wall. Jyushimatsu yelped in surprise, before pain shot through his body again. He let out something between a cry and a sob, and another wave of … whatever it was, blasted out of him in every direction. He closed his eyes, and pressed his hands over his face it an attempt to stop his body from exploding.

Suddenly, Ichimatsu was kneeling in front of him. He gripped his upper arms, and pressed his forehead against Jyushimatsu's. "There, there," he said softly. "It's alright. It's going to be fine."

Jyushimatsu tried to take calming breaths, but the whole house was shuddering.

Suddenly, the door to the veranda was pulled open, the ruckus and extra audience making him feel incarcerated. They couldn't see him like this. He couldn't become another problem on top of all the other problems they already-

"What's going-" Osomatsu's voice started, but was cut off as another wave of energy welled out of Jyushimatsu. Warmth surrounded them, and he looked up in time to see a purple light fade away around the people in the room. Ichimatsu's protection spell. However, Osomatsu still suddenly crouched down a little, bringing his hands to his head, hissing in pain.

He was in pain, because of him. Ichimatsu was protecting them, from him.

He took a shuddery breath, clenching his eyes shut again. "I- Ichimatsu-" he tried, but his voice was slurred.

Ichimatsu shushed him quietly, softly dragging his fingers through his hair with his one hand, while brushing his cheek with the other. "Take deep breaths, okay?" he murmured. "You're okay. I'm here. You're safe."

He could hear Choromatsu and Osomatsu talk in the background, but their voices were muffled. There was a rushing sound in his ears, like a waterfall, and all he could hear through it was Ichimatsu's soothing voice. He put his own hand over the one Ichimatsu was holding against his cheek, and tried doing as he said. He focused on his brother's touch and his words, finding comfort in that.

"That's good," Ichimatsu said. "Breathe with me."

Jyushimatsu locked eyes with him, blinking rapidly to get the blurriness away. He saw Ichimatsu's shoulders sink and rise as he breathed, and he tried imitating him. His breaths came out in uneven sobs and gasps, and each time, waves of pain shot through his body from his broken wing. Each time, the windows shuddered, and the purple lights of Ichimatsu's protection spell lit up the room.

At one point, Osomatsu had stumbled out of the room again, massaging his temples.

Jyushimatsu closed his eyes again, reaching out to Ichimatsu's chest to feel his heart beating. When he found that there was no heartbeat, Ichimatsu took his hand in his own instead. His hands were still warm. His eyes were still alive. He was there. He was safe.

"You're okay," Ichimatsu said again. "How do you feel?"

It took him several seconds before he managed to form an answer. "Okay," he muttered, smiling weakly. His heart was still beating rapidly, but his breath had at least evened out. "Okay."

Ichimatsu returned his smile. "Good," he said.

He slowly turned his head to Choromatsu, who was standing there looking like he wanted to help, but didn't know how.

"How's Osomatsu-niisan?" Jyushimatsu asked.

Choromatsu blinked, turning around to look out the doors to the veranda. "Oh, uh … He's alright. Your protection spell worked wonders, Ichimatsu, but he's still…" Choromatsu turned back and gave a helpless shrug. "Just very vulnerable to that kind of stuff, you know. I think he got away with just a slight headache though."

Jyushimatsu swallowed. "Tell him I'm sorry," he said.

Choromatsu sent him a kind smile. "He understands, don't worry."

He nodded, trying not to focus on the growing guilt in his chest. He was a nuisance. He was of no help anymore.

He closed his eyes as they blurred again. Ichimatsu's hand tightened around his own.

He could see him in his peripheral vision. Wait – He had been there, right?

Running footsteps made him whirl around, but once again, he only saw the rows of empty benches – No demon to be seen. Todomatsu had a different way of training than Osomatsu. Doing this with Osomatsu was much … scarier, simply put. It made his heart race and his mind blank, as if the situation were real and his soul _was_ actually in danger of being devoured if he didn't defeat him.

With Todomatsu, however, it seemed more like an actual training session. His mind was in the right place, his heart was beating steadily, and now he just needed to actually spot him before he could start the mantra. He'd felt like the mantra worked better on Osomatsu when he could actually see him – Although, it didn't work properly before he'd suddenly appeared in front of him, wearing an expression on his face that he'd sworn looked … sad.

He shook his head. The mantra had worked on Osomatsu when he'd been distracted, for some reason, but Todomatsu was a demon. Demons were, as he'd understood it, weaker than devils, and therefor maybe the mantra would affect him more. That was his theory at least. And he was going to test it out, he just had to show himself first.

He got an idea – But what was the word again? He really had to freshen up his Latin. He closed his eyes in concentration. That was a mistake. The moment he stopped looking around himself, the air suddenly became ice cold, before Todomatsu had his arm around his neck, and his claw against his heart. Karamatsu stiffened, not liking how he could feel it scratching through his clothes, against his skin. If they were that sharp, then it wouldn't be hard for Todomatsu to just rip out his heart there and then.

"I won," Todomatsu whispered behind him, before loosening his grip.

Karamatsu frowned, turning around to look at him. He too had brought forth his demonic appearance, although it was a little different from Osomatsu. The greyish tint wasn't as visible, and his sclera didn't become black. His irises had gotten an intense pink color, but that was already fading by now. Overall, he wasn't as scary as Osomatsu, as mentioned.

"Aren't you going to do the thing that Osomatsu does?" he asked, although he was happy not to feel like he was dying for once. He didn't know what Osomatsu did every time he won over him in a training session – Or maybe he did. He just didn't want to think about it.

"What thing?" Todomatsu asked, narrowing his eyes as if he already knew the answer.

"Uh," Karamatsu scratched his head. "The thing where I feel like I can't breathe and my body gets really cold." That was a stupid explanation. He'd have to find out a more elegant way of saying that, should a situation like this arise another time.

Todomatsu rolled his eyes. "He did that?" he asked. "He's so irresponsible."

"Is it bad?"

"He's sort of putting your life in danger."

"Oh."

"But don't worry," he said, waving his hand. "He can't actually take your soul unless you offer it to him. Can't blame him for trying though. Your soul is very pure."

Karamatsu blinked, before looking away with a content smile on his face. "Is it, now?" he asked. "It is as I hoped then. A lifetime of worship is rewar-"

"Okay, let's continue, shall we?" Todomatsu interrupted, slapping his shoulder. He sent him a devious smile. "Ready, set, go." Then, too fast for Karamatsu to react, he pushed him backwards.

He gave a strangled yell, once again falling inelegantly to the stone floor. He quickly scrambled to his feet, but by then, Todomatsu had already disappeared. He gritted his teeth, backing up against a wall.

What was that word? What was it again? It was at the tip of his – Ah. " _Exero._ " He grimaced, hoping he'd remembered the correct one.

His vision blurred for a moment, then he suddenly saw him standing just a few meters away from him. He crouched down instinctively, momentarily forgetting his next move. Luckily, Todomatsu seemed just as shocked to be seen as Karamatsu was.

It was the same incantation as last time, but… " _Eicio, defaeco, elido,_ " he said quickly, holding up his cross. To his surprise, Todomatsu gave a choked sound, stumbling backwards with a hand to his chest. Karamatsu blinked, almost too caught up in his own sense of success to continue chanting. " _Eicio, defaeco, elido,_ _eicio, defaeco, elido._ "

Todomatsu threw his head backwards with a tortured yell, backing up into a bench. He used the bench as support, before glancing back at Karamatsu with less human looking eyes than before. " _Urgeo!_ " he rasped.

An invisible force hit Karamatsu, sending him crashing into the wall behind him. He fell to his knees when the world started spinning. He tried supporting himself with his arms, looking up to see Todomatsu walking slowly towards him. " _E- Eicio, defaeco, elido,_ " he tried again, his voice shaky. Todomatsu made some jerky, unnatural movements, but remained on his feet.

Maybe his body was getting used to the incantation. In which case, he had to do something else.

" _Sancticifamini_ ," he tried. Nothing happened. " _Sancticifamini?"_

" _Ango,_ " Todomatsu said.

His voice echoed against the walls as pain shot through his body. He gasped for air, trying to scramble to his feet as the demon only came closer. "Uh- S- _Sancticifamini-_ Ah! _Sanctifi-"_ Todomatsu leaped towards him, suddenly way too fast for a human, and slammed his palm against Karamatsu's chest. The next thing he knew, he was flying through the air, before landing on his back on the floor, then continued rolling a few meters backwards.

He gasped for air, trying to focus his eyes on Todomatsu. For a moment, he thought he'd disappeared again, but then he saw him sanding by the wall with a concentrated look on his face, as if he too was trying to focus his eyes on something. "S- _Sanctificamini!_ " he managed to croak. He _definitely_ needed to freshen up his Latin. What if he messed that up in a real fight?

A sizzling sound came from Todomatsu, and he gave something that sounded way too much like a cross between a sob and a scream as he crouched down, pressing his nails into his scalp. Karamatsu realized his skin was etching, the way it would do if it got in contact with holy water.

"Todomatsu?" he said wearily, his worry getting the better of him.

The demon was quiet for a few seconds, aside from a few whimpers. Then, he looked up. His appearance had gone back to normal. His skin was blistered and irritated, and his eyes were shining with unshed tears. "It hurts," he whimpered. "Karamatsu-niisan."

Karamatsu's mouth fell open. A dreadful feeling spread in his chest, and before he'd even noticed it himself, he'd gotten to his feet, and was walking unsteadily towards Todomatsu. "Are you okay?" he asked. He crouched down in front of him. "Did I do something-"

Todomatsu leaped forward, pushing Karamatsu onto his back. Karamatsu stared disbelievingly up at him to see that his demonic traits had returned, and that he was grinning wickedly. "You're so gullible," he cooed. "Might be your biggest weakness."

" _Defetigatio,_ " Karamatsu groaned. Todomatsu stiffened, before his body went limp. Karamatsu caught him and threw him off himself before he could fall on top of him, then staggered to his feet. " _Eicio, defaeco, elido. Adiuva me, Christus."_

Todomatsu gasped raspingly, arching his back as his eyes became red at the edges.

" _Cogit me virtus Christi."_ The Latin came easier and easier to him the more he used it. That one, he'd searched up on the Internet himself. He didn't know if it would work, but it didn't hurt to try.

Todomatsu coughed, then waved his hand in Karamatsu's direction. "S- Stop, you win," he squawked. "I give up."

" _Really?_ " Karamatsu said eagerly, before clearing his throat. "I mean, ah… You- You fought well, brother."

"I said I gave up already!" Todomatsu barked, struggling to sit upright. Karamatsu quickly crouched down to help him. "What the hell… Just so you know, that last one wasn't as good as the rest. Did you make that one up?"

"I, uh," he said, and didn't want to say that he'd watched "The Exorcist", then proceeded to translate "the power of Christ compels you" in Google Translate to Latin. "Yeah, I… I made it up."

Todomatsu narrowed his eyes, before he suddenly made an astonished face. "Wait." He laughed, taking a hold of Karamatsu's shoulder. "Please tell me I remember this wrong. Did you try to imitate Father Merri-"

"D- Did not!" he quickly spluttered, feeling his face heat up. How could Todomatsu know a reference like that? Did they have television in Hell?

Todomatsu threw his head backwards and gave a rolling laugh. "Oh man, you're so painful sometimes," he said.

"What?" Karamatsu shook his head. "Wh- Whatever! It worked, didn't it?"

"Only because you said the Big Man's name! That hurts anyway!" the demon said between his giggles, wiping a tear from his eye. "Please don't do that in a real fight, holy hell…"

Karamatsu's cheeks were still burning, but Todomatsu's laugh was very contagious. He smiled unwillingly, a few giggles escaping him as well. He turned his head away, his blush just deepening at that, but Todomatsu just laughed harder, making him laugh harder as well.

The front doors swung open, making them both falter. Osomatsu poked his head in, looking around confusedly before his eyes fixed on them. He tilted his head to the side, a smile on his face. "This doesn't really look like training to me," he said.

Todomatsu was on his feet instantly. "Karamatsu said something weird, I had to take a break," he said, as if that was completely reasonable.

"That's fair," Osomatsu said.

"What?" Karamatsu demanded, but received only an impish grin from the devil.

"Anyway," he continued, his voice suddenly soft. He looked to the ground as his smile became weary. "You should probably come back to the house. Jyushimatsu needs us."

Karamatsu's heart was beating like crazy while they walked back to the house. Todomatsu didn't look much better, but when he'd asked him if he was okay, he'd brushed him off, because "why would a demon like him care for an angel?" as if he didn't get along with Jyushimatsu just as much as everyone, if not even better. Then, he did look a little guilty for even saying that he didn't care.

Osomatsu elbowed him. "It's alright," he said. "I mean, he's in pain, and it's … it's pretty bad, apparently. I don't know how it is to break a wing, obviously, but according to Ichimatsu and Choromatsu, it's like the most painful thing you can experience. And he sort of did have a breakdown, which fucked with his powers, and that was a little uncomfortable, especially for me. So, don't try to worry him or bump into him or anything, because he's not stable at the moment, and seriously, my head is still pounding. But aside from that, it's alright."

Both Karamatsu and Todomatsu sent him doubtful looks.

"Doesn't sound alright to me," Todomatsu said. "It sounds like the opposite of alright, actually."

"I'm going to have to agree with Todomatsu on this one," Karamatsu said.

Osomatsu shrugged, giving a halfhearted smile. "We gotta look on the bright side, I guess."

"But isn't there any way of healing it?" Karamatsu asked. "Choromatsu heals you all the time, so-"

"I don't get hurt _that_ often," Osomatsu interrupted.

Todomatsu made an unconvinced sound, earning a scowl from his brother.

"But, no, he can't," he continued. "The angels cursed him. It'll have to heal normally, and that can take… Well, I wouldn't know. A long time, apparently."

Karamatsu pressed his lips together, running a hand through his hair. "Why would they do that?" he muttered, mostly to himself, but the two behind him reacted anyway. Todomatsu bent forward a bit, trying to make eye contact.

"Gets you wondering who's really the good guys here, doesn't it?" he asked.

Karamatsu looked back at him and Osomatsu, and gradually felt a lump forming in his throat. He had a point. But surely … It was some sort of misunderstanding, right? What he believed in – It wasn't wrong. It couldn't be. Even if he considered the two beside him friends, even brothers, they were still technically from the evil side, right? He swallowed. Had he been fighting for the wrong side all along?

Osomatsu gave a sigh. "Listen," he said. "This situation is really weird. Starting to doubt your beliefs right now isn't helping. Jyushimatsu broke the law, and he got punished for it, even if it was an unfair sentence. However, the Heavens is still the good guys in that sense. Don't worry about that right now."

They walked in silence for a few seconds, as thoughts churned in his head. "Am I…" he started uncertainly. "Am I following the Heavens blindly?" He looked back at them.

They were making the same thoughtful look. Todomatsu spoke first. "I mean, no humans know exactly what's going on, neither downstairs or upstairs, so I guess everyone follows whichever side they're on, or whichever religion they believe in, blindly."

"Hellish creatures are bastards, honestly," Osomatsu said. "I don't trust them. I don't trust the Heavens either, though. When this is over, I honestly have no idea what to do." He laughed, although it seemed a little halfhearted.

Todomatsu bit his lip. "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it," he said.

Karamatsu looked at them for a few seconds, noting how worried they both seemed, under those uncaring masks. "Do you have to go back?" he asked. "I don't – I don't know how it works down there. Isn't it possible to leave?"

"You get called back at one point," Todomatsu said. "It can take years, if you're good at hiding, but they always find you, somehow. Right now I'm on a mission to find Osomatsu, so nobody suspects that I'm gone for a different reason than that."

"And I'm linked to Choromatsu now, so I guess they won't be able to sniff me out," Osomatsu said, shrugging. "Sucks ass, though."

Todomatsu turned to him. "Do you feel any different now?" he asked.

The devil's expression became stiff. "Uh…" he started, his eyes fixed pointedly ahead at nothing in particular. "Not that I've noticed."

"Aha," Todomatsu hummed, looking ahead again. "I've been wondering about it, you see. You've been acting a little strange. Maybe I'm imagining it, but …" He glanced at him sideways. Osomatsu had lowered his gaze to the ground, and was giving it ugly stares. "You know you can tell me if you have something on your mind, right?"

"Shut up, Todomatsu," Osomatsu said quietly, but harshly. "Stop pretending like you're asking me this out of the goodness of your heart. Stop sticking your nose into other people's business."

"So there _is_ something?"

"I said shut up."

Karamatsu pressed his lips nervously together at the small dispute, trying to force his heart to slow down. He swallowed down his fear, to make place for the love for his friend. No – Brother. "Osomatsu," he started, willing his voice to remain steady. "Is something bothering you?"

Osomatsu's eyes snapped to him. "No, Karamatsu, there isn't," he spat. "Except for the thing where the world is about to end and it's all because of my fucking father, but _excuse me_ for acting a little off. Didn't mean to worry you guys." His voice was oozing of sarcasm, and the look he was giving him was filled with poison. Karamatsu's voice got stuck in his throat. He didn't want to break eye contact, but the intensity in Osomatsu's red irises made it hard to keep it up. But then, the devil abruptly looked away. "We're here," he mumbled, before jogging the rest of the way to the front door, away from them.

Karamatsu froze in his tracks, and looked to Todomatsu when he did the same. "I'm-" he started. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend him."

Todomatsu shook his head. "You didn't," he said. "That wasn't anger, that was…" He trailed off, looking to where his brother had disappeared. "That was fear," he finished quietly.

He blinked. "Wh- Of what?"

Todomatsu wore a wondering look on his face, then started walking again. Karamatsu trailed behind him. "I get a feeling you're all affecting us a little bit. It's not just because of the soul binding. If it wasn't fear, then it was… like, defensiveness? So, he's definitely keeping something from us. I wanna find out what it is."

They walked into the house. Karamatsu remembered why they had to go back to the house in the first place. Jyushimatsu was sitting on the floor, and Ichimatsu was pacing back and forth, seeming uncharacteristically energetic. His face was stone cold, as if he was plotting a murder.

Choromatsu sat on the sofa with his hands in his lap, looking terribly worried. Osomatsu was nowhere to be seen.

Upon seeing the two of them come into the living room, the goddess got to his feet. "What happened with Osomatsu?" he asked. He didn't sound angry, only worried, and strangely curious. "He's out on the veranda. He seemed a little … distressed."

"He's just stressed," Todomatsu said absently, as his gaze was fixed on Jyushimatsu. The angel was following his brother with his eyes. He was smiling in his usual broad, dorky way, yet his eyes were wide with worry. The demon walked over to him. "Angels did this?" he asked quietly.

Jyushimatsu shifted his eyes to Todomatsu. He swallowed. "I broke the law," he answered, as if that made it all reasonable.

"Are you really okay with this?"

Jyushimatsu looked down, and Ichimatsu stopped pacing.

"I'm going up there," the Reaper said.

"Niisan-"

"Jyushimatsu," Ichimatsu crouched down in front of him. "The Heavens has treated us both like shit now. Aren't you even a little bit mad?"

Jyushimatsu was quiet, looking back at his brother with wide eyes. "I'm an angel, I shouldn't-"

"Fuck what an angel should and shouldn't do," Ichimatsu interrupted, clenching his fists. "This whole situation is warped anyway. Nothing is as it should be. You're angry, you're upset, and you have right to be. You don't need to hide it away from me. From- From us."

The angel blinked, then looked at Todomatsu. The demon smiled softly at him. Then he looked to Choromatsu, who gave him a slight nod. When he looked at Karamatsu, he sent him a lopsided smile.

"We're brothers, aren't we?" Karamatsu said.

Jyushimatsu's smile became ever so slightly broader. He looked back at Ichimatsu. "But what are you planning on doing?" he asked.

"I was wondering the same thing," Choromatsu said, standing up. "I realize you're angry. I am, as well. But you can't let your emotions control you when you go up there."

Ichimatsu looked back at him with his half lidded eyes. "I know," he said. "I'm going up there, and I'm going to warn them about Hell rising. Then I'm going to ask them if there's a way to heal Jyushimatsu's wing."

"What if they refuse?" Choromatsu asked. "Do you think you'll be able to deal with that without resorting to violence?"

Todomatsu made a growling sound. "If they refuse, then they deserve a flesh wound or two, if you ask me."

Ichimatsu smiled in a way that made shivers go down Karamatsu's back. "I'm glad we agree on something," he said.

Choromatsu sent them both a wry look. "If you can't behave, you're not going," he said.

"What makes you think you can order me around?" Ichimatsu retorted, mirroring the goddess' expression. "I'm going up there whether you like it or not."

"Niisan," Jyushimatsu said, voice sharp. It made everyone in the room flinch. Ichimatsu looked back at him, and Jyushimatsu's face softened. "Please do as he says. Angering them will only make this worse. We need their help. You can kick their asses when this is all over."

Ichimatsu looked at him for a couple of seconds, before he grinned. "Fine," he said, standing up. "After this is all over."

"You're going _now_?" Karamatsu asked, taking a step forward.

Ichimatsu shrugged. "No time to lose. I'm well enough rested. Tell Osomatsu I'm leaving."

"You can tell me yourself," Osomatsu said as he walked in through the veranda doors. "If you're going to the Heavens, then tell them about me. If they want to meet me, then that's fine. We need to prove it to them that we're on their side."

Todomatsu got to his feet. "Is that a good idea? What if they kill you?"

"I'm bound to Choromatsu," he said, looking to the goddess. "That helps, right?"

Choromatsu nodded. "I don't know if they should see me though," he said uncertainly. "I left my lake. I defied God's will."

"Right." Osomatsu groaned. "Why is everything so complicated? Whatever – We can think about that later. One step at the time, right?"

"Yes, yes," Ichimatsu said impatiently. "Can I go now?"

Osomatsu looked back at him again, and gave him a chipper smile. "Sure you can," he said, walking over to him. "Also, in my opinion, you don't have to be _that_ nice. Good luck." He reach over and ruffled the Reaper's hair. Ichimatsu stared incredulously back at him, before his face slowly reddened and he looked away.

"Thanks," he mumbled, reaching out into the air where his scythe started to form in his hand. "I'll try to be quick." Then he knocked the scythe against the floor, and Ichimatsu got whisked away as if he had only been an illusion, blown away by the wind. Dark smoke swirled in the air a few seconds, and then disappeared completely.

Osomatsu frowned. "He sounded like we don't have too much time," he mused. "What's his hurry?"

"Might be because he was kicked out of the Heavens," Choromatsu supplied. "I would've felt awkward in his place."

"No," Jyushimatsu said. "Niisan isn't afraid of meeting them again. But it's Sunday tomorrow. He has work to do."

Karamatsu's heart skipped a bit. Sunday. It was Sunday tomorrow. And Sunday meant – "Oh, Christ," he gasped, earning ugly looks from Todomatsu and Osomatsu. "The synod. It's Sunday tomorrow. I haven't prepared anything. I've- I've completely forgotten…" He dragged a hand through his hair, before walking over to the salon table, pulling out his years old computer from under it.

"A synod?" Todomatsu walked over to him. "Is this really the time for something like that?"

"It's my job," Karamatsu said, before looking at the ceiling. "And my duty. If I don't, I'll be a failure, both for myself, and for my Heavenly Father." He was quiet for a few seconds. "Also… If I don't, I don't get paid."

Osomatsu snapped his fingers. "There we have it."

"But mostly the first reason!"

"Sure it is," he said, grinning at him as if they shared a secret. "Anyways, how does those things work anyway? Do you still sacrifice animals?"

Choromatsu gave a quiet groan, and Jyushimatsu made an amused sound.

Karamatsu blinked, looking up from his computer. "That's… It's been hundreds of years since anyone did that."

"How would I know?" Osomatsu skipped over to Karamatsu, stopping behind the sofa to peer over his shoulder. "Can I be there?"

"Osomatsu," Choromatsu said. "You _know_ that is a bad idea. I shouldn't have to tell you that."

"What?" Osomatsu said with fake hurt in his voice. He leaned on Karamatsu's shoulders. "I just want to learn about the Big Guy's word and all that. Can't I do that?"

Todomatsu gave a muffled giggle.

"When you can't even say His name, how do you suppose you'll be able to handle two hours filled with holy words and names?" Choromatsu challenged.

Osomatsu scoffed. "I can handle that," he said. "I'll think of it as a test of endurance. What do you say, Totty? Do you want to join?"

"I actually think I'll pass on this one."

"Listen to your brother, Osomatsu. How come he calls you niisan, and not the other way around? He's clearly more mature than you."

"Listen, Cherrymatsu-"

Karamatsu looked back and forth between the three of them, before he gave a quiet sigh and set his focus back to his computer. He didn't use Facebook too often, but even after having been absent for several days, he only came back to two notifications. One of them was an invitation to some Facebook game. He hovered the cursor over his friend list, which wasn't too long. Most of his friends were people who came to his church, or friends from high school, whom he didn't really speak to anymore. He clicked open a chat, with a man who'd preached in his church several times. He wrote him a message apologizing for the short notice, but if he could preach on the meeting tomorrow, because he'd been very busy with personal matters, and could really need some help. The answer came shortly after: He could, but it might be a little shorter than usual.

"Thank you," Karamatsu whispered, as he wrote exactly those words into the chat. He wrote his good byes, before closing the computer. He put it back under the table, and stood up. "I have to go back to the church and see that everything is as it should be. I also need to lock the devil's trap room. Actually, I should wash it… No, it'll have to wait. It probably stinks now, though- ugh…" He felt his stomach protest at the thought of walking into that room again.

"Ah," Osomatsu started. He'd moved over to where Todomatsu was standing, and was rubbing his neck, looking uncomfortable. "Karamatsu – I'm really sorry. I'm gonna get that away. I can join you back to the church right now."

Karamatsu opened his mouth to kindly decline the offer, but when he thought about doing that job alone, he could feel his breakfast threatening to come back up again. "That would be helpful, thank you," he said, giving him a grateful smile.

"No problem." He grinned, then turned to Todomatsu. "You sure you don't want to come?" His voice was playful, taunting. Todomatsu scowled at him.

"I hope you slip in it and hit your head," he replied.

Osomatsu laughed. "I'll be sure to give you a good hug if I get my clothes dirty," he said. "Are we going, Karamatsu?"

Karamatsu tried to ignore the way Todomatsu's eyes were glowing, and nodded to Osomatsu. "Yeah. Let's get it over with."

One would have thought six hours filled with washing away demon blood would leave even a devil exhausted, especially one with a lazy personality such as himself, yet Osomatsu couldn't sleep even if his eyes were stinging. Why? There was always the incoming doom he had to worry about. Then there was the recent nightmares, making sleep seem less welcoming than before. And then there was the thing that was definitely not guilt. And surprisingly, he kept thinking about how Ichimatsu was doing. Teleportation between worlds was apparently exhausting, so it wouldn't surprise him if he had to rest up there for a bit. He only hoped he actually was resting, and not … No, Reapers couldn't die. Right?

He sat up on the mattress. He looked to his right to see the silhouette of Todomatsu's chest rising and sinking steadily. He looked to see the white feathers of Choromatsu's wings, wrapped around the goddess like a blanket.

Deciding that he wouldn't be able to sleep anyway, he stood up, and tiptoed out of the room. He made his way down the stairs, flinching as their creaked beneath his feet no matter how silent he tried to be. What he wanted to do, he didn't know, but it was boring to stay in bed anyway. Maybe there was something in the fridge. Maybe beer…

He was halfway to the kitchen when he heard something that made him stop in his tracks. It was quiet for a few moments, then there it was again. Coming from the veranda. He swallowed down the lump in his throat, as he walked over to the doors, making sure not to be seen.

Jyushimatsu was sitting there, in front of the steps down to the yard. His healthy wing was wrapped around himself, while the other was still wrapped to his back. His body remained mostly still, but then and now, he gave a sob, or a sniff. His arms lied limply in his lap, as if he'd given up on trying to wipe the tears away.

Osomatsu's hand was on the door handle before he knew it himself. Jyushimatsu had probably noticed that he was there anyway. He slid the door open, and the angel turned halfway towards him.

There were a few beats of silence.

"Osomatsu-niisan," Jyushimatsu started. His voice was hoarse, too quiet to be Jyushimatsu.

The endearment made him feel warm in his chest. "Hey," he said, walking over to him. He sat down on the side with the healthy wing. "Can I sit with you?"

"You already did," Jyushimatsu said, giving a weak impression of his usual smile. "But sure. Can't you sleep?"

Osomatsu shook his head. "There's, uh … a lot to think about," he mumbled. "Besides, I don't actually _need_ sleep. Used to be a nice break from, you know, stuff, but…" He took a deep breath, and let it out in a sigh. "My dreams aren't really much better than reality anymore."

"I get it," Jyushimatsu said. "I didn't sleep while watching over Ichimatsu, but before I went after him, I … I tried sleeping reality away, sort of. Didn't work out, because of dreams. It didn't take long before I decided to leave, though."

Osomatsu became quiet. He couldn't imagine Jyushimatsu trying to sleep his life away. He seemed too happy for that. The angel proved again and again that there was more to him behind that big goofy smile, but it still made him nauseous every time he revealed something more like that about himself. Jyushimatsu wasn't supposed to be sad. Jyushimatsu was like… the embodiment of happiness. Hearing him cry wasn't something anyone should hear. It wasn't something that was supposed to happen.

Yet here they were. He was very much crying, and didn't bother to try to hide it. His eyes were blood shot, and his cheeks were red and puffy. He was hunched over, as if he was shivering, but it wasn't cold outside. He looked vulnerable.

Osomatsu swallowed again. "It's gonna be okay," he said. It was the words he had to hold onto himself, even if they sounded fake sometimes. But somehow he just needed to hear them anyway. Maybe Jyushimatsu was the same. "Maybe Ichimatsu finds a way to heal your wing."

"Maybe…" He fell silent, looking down to his lap. The silence between them wasn't uncomfortable, but Osomatsu could sense that there was something Jyushimatsu wanted to say. When the angel opened his mouth, his lower lip quivered. "I don't … I don't think he will. Like they wouldn't let niisan became an angel again, they won't heal my wing. They deemed this punishment righteous, so… I don't think they'll reconsider."

Osomatsu gritted his teeth. "Can't you pray for forgiveness or some bullshit? Isn't that what God is all about?" he asked. The name tasted sour in his mouth.

Jyushimatsu ducked his head when Osomatsu raised his voice. "It isn't that simple," he mumbled.

Osomatsu pouted a little at his reaction, forcing himself to calm down. This wasn't the right time to be angry. "Either way," he said, softening his voice. Jyushimatsu glanced at him at that. "We'll have your back in the meantime. We'll be your wings."

Jyushimatsu stared at him, before his face scrunched up and his eyes refilled with tears. He leaned forward, burying his face in Osomatsu's shoulder. Osomatsu stiffened in surprise, but what he'd like to call his big brother instinct made him react quickly. He repositioned himself, so that he sat facing Jyushimatsu and reached behind his neck to caress his hair protectively, careful not to come close to the broken wing. He let Jyushimatsu sob without saying anything. He took the angel's hand in his own, stroking it with his thumb. Jyushimatsu squeezed back, almost tight enough to be painful.

They sat like that for almost as long as Osomatsu and Choromatsu had sat when Osomatsu had been the one crying. After a while, Jyushimatsu's sobs stopped, became shuddery breaths, and finally, steady ones, as he drifted off to unconsciousness. Osomatsu managed to move him so that he rested his head in his lap instead of against his shoulder. It was about then that he realized he wouldn't be able to move without waking him. And he didn't want to do that right now.

Instead, he leaned back on the wooden floor. Jyushimatsu's head lolled over to his stomach. The sky above him was clear, speckled with stars. Nothing like the sky he was used to in Hell. That sky wasn't a sky at all – It was only smoke and clouds, leading nowhere. This sky didn't stop him from looking the universe in the eyes. This sky was open and free. It made the claustrophobic situation he found himself in – not Jyushimatsu hindering him in stand up of course, but being unable to run away from his responsibilities any longer – feel easier to breathe in. The calmness enabled him to finally drift off to sleep. This time, he didn't get any nightmares.

Todomatsu woke up with a start. When he didn't immediately see his surroundings, he became panicked, before he remembered where he was. Not that it helped that much – Ever since Ichimatsu announced that there was a ghost in the house, he'd been on edge. Sure, the ghost had been brought over to the other side, whatever the hell that meant, but for all he knew, there were more ghosts. Or, the Reaping didn't go as planned, and the ghost never left.

He sat up, looking to the floor where Osomatsu slept. Except he didn't. His brother's duvet had been thrown to the side, and the door was open. Todomatsu swallowed, his heart refusing to calm down.

He decided it was time for a night walk. Well – It was more morning now, wasn't it? It was dark outside, but it had been pretty late when they all went to bed, and he felt pretty well rested, so he supposed it had been a few hours. Maybe the sun would come up any minute.

He swung his legs out of bed, glancing at the sleeping goddess, before walking silently out of the room. Maybe Karamatsu had something in the fridge. However, if he knew Osomatsu enough, he'd already stolen the beer, if there was any.

He tiptoed down the stairs, trying not to jump at every creak in the floor, or stare at any weird looking shadows for too long. He hated that he was this scared of the dark – He was a demon, wasn't he? But he couldn't help it. There was a reason for why he couldn't stand being in Hell – It was dark, and it was dirty. Everything he hated.

It was pitch black down in the living room. His sense of direction wasn't the best, but neither the worst. He should be able to make his way around the house without much difficulty, even if he'd only been there for a couple of days. Yet, with the thought of turning around and suddenly being face to face with the deformed image of a dead demon haunting his mind, he found it hard to take the next step, or to feel around himself in the darkness in case he'd suddenly be gripped by an ice cold hand or something like that.

He shook his head, trying to chase those thoughts away before they made his heart jump out of his chest. Like the heart of the demon he'd ripped out. Maybe he was haunting him. Maybe he was in the room right now – No, that couldn't be. Ichimatsu would know. Or would he? Maybe the ghost could make himself invisible. There was so much stuff about ghosts and Reaping that he didn't know of. For all he knew, there could be several ghosts in the room right now, just … staring at him.

He swallowed down something that would have been an embarrassing whine. He reached out to the wall, deciding that keeping close to it would be the safest. Karamatsu always closed all the doors he went through, so the kitchen door wouldn't be as easy to find as it would have been, had it been open. But it should be close by … Right?

He dragged his hand lightly across the wall, trying not to let his mind convince him that there was something behind him. Like in the woods back in Hell. But it hadn't been anything there, so there wasn't anything here either … or had it been something there? It felt so real. He had felt its breath in his ne-

He yelped when his hand touched something extremely hot, stumbling away from whatever it was. There was a sizzling sound and the smell of burnt flesh, and the object he'd touched fell to the ground with a soft clatter. The noise almost made him jump out of his skin, and he backed away quickly, while desperately searching for a light switch. His hand closed around a door handle, and he walked into it before giving it a second thought, shutting the door behind him loudly.

There he remained standing, trying to ignore how his throat was closing up and the fact that his vision was a bit blurry. And then the light switched on by itself.

Todomatsu stiffened, and slowly turned around, afraid of what he might see. When he only saw Karamatsu sitting in bed with a tired, confused look in his eyes, with his ridiculous thick eyebrows furrowed in worry, he could feel his shoulders immediately relaxing.

"Todomatsu?" Karamatsu said. His voice was rusty with sleep. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he said, even when he knew that he definitely did not look fine, and that people didn't usually burst into other people's rooms in the middle of the night without a reason. He swallowed. "If you're gonna laugh, I'll hit you," he added darkly, looking away from him.

Karamatsu didn't answer for a few seconds. "Laugh at what?" he then asked.

Todomatsu glanced back at him. "That… That I'm afraid of the dark, even though I'm a demon."

Karamatsu didn't say anything back at that. He just seemed still a little confused, and very tired. Several seconds of silence passed between them. "Why did you come down here?" he asked in the end.

He felt his cheeks heat up. "O- Osomatsu was gone," he mumbled. "Couldn't sleep, probably."

"Oh." Karamatsu scratched his head, before scooting over a bit. "Do you want to sit?"

Todomatsu blinked. Yes. No. He didn't need to be comforted. But when he thought about it, it was actually tempting to sit down with him. No, it was definitely not. Go and steal his beer instead. But then he'd have to go into the living room again…

Oh, well. Demons weren't supposed to resist temptation anyway. He shuffled over to the priest, sitting down awkwardly on the edge of the bed. "I could've just woken Choromatsu, but… I can't ignore the fact that we're different. We're not supposed to get along. I don't know how Osomatsu-niisan does it," he explained quietly. "I want to trust him, but I can't right now. Not completely, anyway."

"I understand," Karamatsu said. He sounded awfully tired. Why did he stay up with him? "Not that you can't trust me, of course, but … I _am_ a priest, so you could try to think of it like this: I'm, well, I'm on the Heavens side, even though the situation is a bit messed up at the moment. I'm not supposed to be friends with you either, but I am anyway. Choromatsu is the same. Your natural instinct might be to spite him, but you know, in your _heart_ , that you can and will get along someday, despite your differences." Karamatsu looked intently at him. "Although it might be hard and take a long time, you just have to let go."

Todomatsu shifted in his seat. "Ah… sure," he said, forcing himself not to cringe at his clichéd wording. Though, he did seem like he meant it, despite sounding like a doofus. He looked down on his lap, smiling softly. "You're very kind, considering your basically dealing with the enemy here. If I was in your shoes, I would've acted selfishly, I'm sure."

Karamatsu smiled, before giving a soft laugh, obviously trying to sound cool and knowing. "Honestly, I had problems at first," he said. "Sometimes I still do. I forget what you are, and then it comes back to me like a shock, often when you …" He paused, searching for words. "You know, do stuff that's actually considered satanic. But I get more and more used to it. We're not really enemies anymore. We're brothers."

Todomatsu looked at him at that. His voice was so earnest, he felt his heart speed up, but for a different reason than fear this time. "We've known each other for barely a week," he chuckled weakly, although he couldn't stop a warm smile from reaching his lips.

Karamatsu shrugged. "Some situations bring people together quickly, I guess," he said. "I've been through more this last few days than through my whole life put together. I don't know about you."

He nodded slightly. "Can't say I've turned my back to Hell before, no," he said. "Tougou gaining power has really fucked our lives up."

"Then I think it's pointless to resist the bonds that are forming between us," Karamatsu said. He put a hand on Todomatsu's shoulder. "Especially in a time like this, it's important to hold onto the people you have left."

He couldn't find the right words to say to that. Fortunately, Karamatsu beat him to it, suddenly taking a hold of his wrist.

"What happened to your hand?" he asked, turning it over to look at the blemished skin. It had already started to heal, so Todomatsu had completely forgotten about it in the midst of his panic.

"Oh, uh … I don't know, I touched something on the wall," he said. "I couldn't see what it was."

"The crucifix maybe?"

"That could definitely be it."

Karamatsu's shoulders sank. "I'm sorry," he said. Todomatsu tilted his head confusedly when the priest lifted his hand, but gave a surprised squeak when he pressed his lips against the wound. At the sound, Karamatsu looked back at him questioningly.

"St- Stop. You're so embarrassing," Todomatsu hissed, ducking his head to hide his smile, although the way his shoulders were shaking might betray that he was laughing.

"Oh, uh – I'm very tired, maybe it makes me a little-"

"It's okay," Todomatsu said, waving his hand. He sent Karamatsu an amused smile. "It feels better now. Maybe you have healing powers."

Karamatsu laughed. "Maybe I do."

"You should get some more sleep, though," Todomatsu then said, noting the way his eyes drooped. "I didn't mean coming in here. I was just lost."

He shrugged. "You can come to me whenever you need help," he said, and yawned. "Are you going to be okay if I go back to sleep?"

Todomatsu pressed his lips together, trying to swallow down the words building up in his throat. "Can I … Can I stay here?" he asked quietly. "I don't know if I'll be able to fall asleep again, but it's not that long until the sun comes up again anyway." He looked back at Karamatsu, and was surprised to see him looking back at him like he'd just told him he'd won the lottery.

"Of course you can!" Karamatsu said, beaming. He scooted over, making more space.

Todomatsu suppressed a giggle for how eager he was, and lied down beside him. When he turned his head to the side, they were face to face. Karamatsu had already closed his eyes. He'd been close to sleeping while sitting upright, but now he was definitely on the brink of complete unconsciousness. Todomatsu pushed himself a little down on the bed, before snuggling into the priest's chest unashamedly, the craving for comfort too strong to resists. He wasn't too surprised when Karamatsu answered with putting an arm around him, stroking his back a few times, before it stilled. His breathing was steady and faint, signalizing that he'd fallen asleep.

Todomatsu closed his eyes, and decided he was comfortable lying there even if he didn't fall asleep in the end.


	7. Chapter 7

It was barely half past nine o'clock in the morning, and the nave was already buzzing with voices, despite the fact that the meeting didn't start until ten. Choromatsu was standing, invisible, in the kitchen, peeking out the door while simultaneously making sure that Osomatsu didn't destroy something. The devil didn't even know that he was there, and he wanted to keep it that way. He didn't want to pry, but Osomatsu had been acting way too weird the last few days, and it was about time he found out what it was. And he would start with the fact that he wanted to help Karamatsu with the synod, despite the fact that even hearing the name "Jesus" made him cringe.

Karamatsu was mingling with the people that had arrived. Choromatsu didn't expect there to be this many, especially since Karamatsu had said that most people went to the other church in town. He wasn't sure if he was more nervous than excited. With Osomatsu here, there was a bigger chance for something to not go as planned, but at the same time, he'd never seen so many people at once. He only wished he could actually interact with them, and not just spy on them from a distance.

He looked back at Osomatsu, who was trying to figure out the coffee machine. Although he was thankful he had the ability to see through his human disguise, it still made it hard for him to figure out if he'd _actually_ hidden away his tail and horns and Choromatsu was the only one who could see them, or if he'd forgotten. And he couldn't ask either, because that would reveal his presence. Was Osomatsu even doing this right? Karamatsu had explained to him, and unknowingly Choromatsu, how to handle the coffee machine, but sadly he didn't trust Osomatsu's memory enough to not worry about him accidentally blowing it up or something like that.

He walked silently over to him, peering over his shoulder. Osomatsu was about to put coffee powder in it, but without putting in the coffee filter first. Choromatsu gritted his teeth, and started waving his arms desperately, but pointlessly, as the devil could neither see nor hear him. Should he reveal himself just so he wouldn't possibly destroy the coffee machine? No, this was more important – But it was Karamatsu's coffee machine, he'd probably paid a lot for it. Not that he knew how much a coffee machine cost, but it was probably a –

Osomatsu froze, looking like he had an epiphany. "Right," he said, dropping the spoon back in the bag with the coffee powder. Choromatsu let out a revealed huff. But then Osomatsu abruptly turned, and walked straight into him.

They gave matching yells, but Osomatsu seemed more panicked than shocked, stumbling backwards and immediately getting into a battle position. He looked around himself with wild eyes, before they slowly narrowed in suspicion. "Choromatsu…" he said slowly.

Choromatsu swallowed, before looking to the door to make sure that nobody was near the kitchen, then released is invisibility charm just enough to become transparent. The devil's eyes fixed on him. "Ah…" Choromatsu started lamely. "I was just… wondering if I could help with something."

Osomatsu rolled his eyes. "Leave the lying to the demons, maybe?" he said dryly. "Why are you here?"

He folded his hands timidly. "I was worried of why you wanted to help with the synod so bad," he said. "You can't blame me for that. It's not normal."

"And it didn't occur to you that it's rude to stick your nose into other people's business?" Osomatsu retorted. "Maybe I just want to help."

"Maybe you do, but maybe there's a reason behind that desire," Choromatsu said. "You've been feeling guilty, and it's somehow connected to Karamatsu. I know you don't want to talk about it, but I can feel your feelings, more often than not. You want to help, to ease that guilt. Am I wrong?"

Osomatsu stared at him, and Choromatsu got a feeling he'd brought forth this matter the wrong way. The devil didn't say anything for a long time, before he looked away from him, turning to continue making the coffee. "If you can feel my feelings, that's your problem. You knew that would happen with the soul binding," he said flatly.

Choromatsu gave a huff. "That's not what this is about," he said. "Your guilt isn't bothering me because it's an uncomfortable feeling – It's bothering me because I-"

"If you're going to say ' _because I care about you'_ , then spare it," Osomatsu interrupted. "You're just like Todomatsu. You wanna know because you're curious. Which I can understand, but I'm still not gonna act like you're some kind of psychologist. I can deal with this alone."

"But why do you want that?" Choromatsu asked, feeling his chest tighten with anger. Just the fact that he thought he didn't care about him like that… "I already told you you're not alone in this. Why won't you let me help you?"

Osomatsu put powder in the coffee machine, obviously pretending his hand wasn't shaking. "To be fair," he said. "I dragged you into this mess in the first place. I should be the one helping _you,_ not the other way around."

"Osomatsu, don't you start with that kind of-"

"Choromatsu?" Karamatsu's voice sounded, making them both look up. "What are you doing here?"

"Was what I said too," Osomatsu muttered.

Choromatsu turned to him. "Sorry," he said. "I didn't want to leave Osomatsu alone. I won't interfere with anything, and keep myself invisible. I didn't know there would be this many people here. It's very exciting." He sent the priest a kind smile, knowing well that he'd just lead the conversation onto another topic to avoid questions. He didn't know if that counted as manipulation. He _was_ telling the truth, after all.

Karamatsu's chest puffed up with pride. "Honestly, this is rare," he said. "I've spoken to many people, and although I'd like to believe that the rise in visitors is because of the way I run this church, I think there's another reason to it. Many have told me that they felt some kind of pull towards my church this Sunday. Something holy and sacred. Seeing you here might explain that."

Choromatsu blinked, feeling a blush dust his cheeks. "Oh," he said. "Uh… You're welcome?"

Karamatsu nodded. "After this, word might spread. You've been great help." Then he turned to Osomatsu. "How are you doing?"

"It's just making coffee," Osomatsu snapped. Karamatsu blinked, straightening his back. He opened his mouth, probably to apologize, but then Choromatsu was hit with a wave of that same feeling of guilt from before, and Osomatsu continued before he got that far: "It's- It's the least I could do, I mean," he added quietly.

Choromatsu looked at him. He glanced back at him, before quickly averting his eyes.

"N- Not at all," Karamatsu said, noticing the tension in the air. "I'm happy you want to help. Thank you very much."

Osomatsu shook his head, giving a cheeky grin. Choromatsu wondered if he was, as with his human disguise, the only one who could see through it. "Don't thank me," he said, sounding casual, yet the waves of guilt were still washing over Choromatsu as if they were his own. "Tell me if you need anything else."

Karamatsu smiled warmly. "Will do," he said. "Thank you, brother. Now, I have to get back to the synod." He nodded to both of them, before scurrying out of the room.

The second the door slammed shut, Choromatsu turned to Osomatsu again, throwing out his arms. "What's going on?" he demanded.

Osomatsu looked at the door, as if he wanted it to bust open with some kind of distraction to help him avoid this conversation, but when nothing happened, he let his eyes fall to the floor. "I can't tell you," he mumbled. "I don't know how. You'd hate me."

Choromatsu blinked. "I could – I know what you are, Osomatsu. I know you've done things before that I don't agree with. I know you'd do some of them again." He took a step towards him, holding out his hand. "You're still my friend, though. I couldn't hate you."

The devil shrugged, eyeing the hand as if contemplating if he wanted to take it or not. "Maybe not," he said. "But Karamatsu would."

It took him a few moments, but he managed to put the pieces together. But, oh, how he hoped he was wrong. "Osomatsu," he said. "Whatever it is you're guilty about, I know for sure that you regret what you did. What you said about Go- About the heavenly Father being forgiving – You're right. Whatever it is you did, you _can_ be redeemed."

"It doesn't matter," Osomatsu said. "It doesn't matter if the Big Man decides to forgive me, for some fucked up reason. I don't care about Him. I care about Karamatsu." He paused, giving a light laugh. "As ironic as all of this is." He continued preparing the coffee, going over to the sink to get some water.

The voices quietened outside, signalizing that the synod had begun. The voice of the preacher filled the room. "Another Sunday, another synod, are we gathered here in this house of God," he started. Osomatsu gave a bothered sound.

"You okay?" Choromatsu asked.

"I'm not supposed to be here," he mumbled. "Just being in here is uncomfortable right now. More than often, I mean." He clicked the "on" button on the coffee machine, then turned around and leaned against the counter. "You know when you're in someone's house without out the owner of the house there, and you feel kind of out of place?"

Choromatsu looked at him. "I've lived in a lake my whole life," he said.

Osomatsu made an "o" with his lips. "Right," he said, giving a laugh. "Sorry. Well, it feels kind of like that. Except that the owner of the house isn't there because I've broken into their home, and the owner of the house wants to kill me. Which is not so far from the truth, when I think about it."

"You've broken into many of your enemies' houses before?" Choromatsu asked, leaning on the counter the way he did.

He shrugged. "I guess. If possession counts as breaking an entry. I mean, in that situation, I sort of _am_ the owner of the house, so…"

"On second thought, we don't need to talk about this," Choromatsu said, shaking his head. Osomatsu snickered.

The voice of the preacher droned on from the nave. He wasn't following what he was saying, but rather the way Osomatsu looked increasingly uncomfortable, almost like when Karamatsu said something especially painful, and everyone in the room had to cringe a little. Every time the preacher said any variant of God's name, he either clenched his fists, or gave quiet, annoyed groans.

Choromatsu got an idea. "Osomatsu," he said. "We can use the soul binding for this."

Osomatsu gave him a startled look. "No?"

"No, listen," he said, standing upright. "I can control this. If you let me _temporarily_ change you into a more… holy version of yourself, then this ordeal might not become as uncomfortable as it is. It's not dangerous."

Osomatsu was looking around himself as if planning an escape route. When Choromatsu rolled his eyes, he gave a scoff. "Don't look at me like that!" he said. "This is _scary._ I have no idea how any of this works. What if I will change?"

"You won't!" Choromatsu insisted. "Well – Not permanently, at least. You might feel a little different right at this moment, but the preacher's words and this synod won't hurt you at least. Really, you're becoming paler and paler the more he talks."

"It's not that bad," Osomatsu said. "I can deal with-"

The preacher suddenly raised his voice, just as the door to the kitchen opened. Choromatsu quickly hid himself, while Osomatsu buckled over a bit as the preacher practically sang something that just sounded like a mantra made out of "Jesus watches over us! Jesus has a plan for over us! Jesus loves everyone of us-" Jesus this, Jesus that. Karamatsu poked his head in, frowning when he saw Osomatsu.

"Are you-"

" _Close the door!_ " Osomatsu hissed. Karamatsu jumped a little, scurrying inside to close the door behind him.

"Where's Choromatsu?" he asked. Choromatsu released his disguise, making the priest take a startled step backwards. "Oh- Right. Uh…What's going on?"

"Just give me a moment…" Osomatsu grumbled.

Choromatsu gave Karamatsu a helpless smile. "Holy words work better when spoken with genuine passion and belief. You're friend is a very good preacher, apparently. That, uh, is good for him, but not so much for him." He pointed at Osomatsu.

"Is it that bad?" Karamatsu asked. "It's only been fifteen minutes."

Choromatsu glanced at him. "Did you hear that? It's only been fifteen minutes," he repeated, not quite managing to force away the smug smile on his lips when Osomatsu sent him a disgruntled look.

"I can handle it," he said, straightening his back. "Don't worry. Let me make this coffee."

"Okay…" Karamatsu said slowly. "I'll come back in twenty minutes, then." Then he exited the room again, leaving them alone. Osomatsu brought a hand to his head.

"This isn't working," he groaned.

"Then let me do this," Choromatsu said.

"No way!" Osomatsu whined. "I don't wanna be a goodie-two-shoes like you."

Choromatsu narrowed his eyes in annoyance. Before he thought better of it, he motioned with his hand. Osomatsu stumbled into the wall behind him, giving a surprised yelp. Then they just stared at each other, Choromatsu with stubborn irritation, and Osomatsu with incredulous surprise.

"Why did you do that?" he asked after a moment.

"You're acting like a brat," Choromatsu retorted.

"I thought it was a sin to resort to violence."

"The Holy Commandments says "thou shalt not kill", so unless you _die_ I'm not breaking any rules."

Osomatsu scoffed, sending him a cheeky grin. "Did you study those? Like I said: Goodie-two shoes." He swallowed down a sound when the preacher raised his voice again, his face scrunching up.

"You're in _pain,_ " Choromatsu hissed, trying and failing to keep the irritation out of his voice. "Just trust me."

"I'd like to, but the preacher isn't the one hurting me right now," Osomatsu squawked. Choromatsu blinked, only now noticing the angry warmth spreading in his chest. He forced himself to relax, and Osomatsu let out a relieved sigh.

Choromatsu folded his hands awkwardly. "Sorry," he mumbled.

"Nah, I riled you up on purpose, it's alright."

"What?"

Osomatsu shrugged. "I don't know. It's fun, and I don't have Totty here to annoy, so it's gotta be you." He grinned.

Choromatsu crossed his arms. "Are you trying to distract me?" he asked. "I still want to do this."

Osomatsu leaned his head backwards with a groan. The groan only became louder when the preacher's words seeped into the kitchen again. "Fine!" he said, sending Choromatsu a suspicious look. "And if I tell you to stop, you stop."

Choromatsu nodded. "Of course. Don't worry," he said, a content smile spreading on his lips. "Let's sit." Osomatsu hesitated for a second, but sat down on the floor with him. "I'm going to gradually tighten the bond between us. Try listening to the preacher's words, and tell me when it doesn't hurt anymore."

"Okay…" Osomatsu said slowly.

Choromatsu closed his eyes, imagining a thread between him and Osomatsu, gradually becoming thicker. The preacher was speaking, but it seemed as if he'd moved onto a topic that didn't have as much to do with Jesus as before. But he'd come back to it, probably. In the meantime, Choromatsu tested his limits, tightening the bond more and more.

"Are you doing anything?" Osomatsu asked. When Choromatsu nodded, he hummed thoughtfully. "I don't feel any different. The preacher hasn't said anything useful yet, though."

"It's supposed to change your mindset," Choromatsu said. "Make you "better", if I can say it like that. You'll probably feel hesitant about choices you'd normally not even think twice about, and I'm pretty sure your emotions will increase as well. Overall, it makes you more human."

"Why would you wanna be human?" the devil asked, and he could practically hear the way he was wrinkling his nose.

"Think of it as a step between Hell and Heaven. Heaven is good, and Hell is bad. Humans are neutral. To get to Heaven, you have to take the human step first, sort of. Try thinking of something and you'll see."

There was silence for several seconds. "…Like what?" he then asked, although his voice was quieter. Choromatsu forced himself to not smile contently.

"Like the man you almost killed, maybe," he hummed. "I mean- the man's soul you almost ate. My bad."

"Your sarcasm is making my head hurt," Osomatsu muttered. Then he got silent again, this time longer than earlier. "To be fair, both of them were assholes."

"You really think that justifies it?"

"I could tell from his soul that he… that he was a bad person," Osomatsu insisted.

The preacher started with the Jesus-chanting again, but Osomatsu didn't seem to notice. Choromatsu took a deep breath. "Bad enough to deserve such a punishment?" he continued nonchalantly.

"Yes!" Osomatsu said, although his voice had risen a bit. He was trying to convince himself more than Choromatsu at this point. Once again, he kept his mouth shut for a long time before speaking again. "I… I don't like this," he said quietly.

"It's okay," Choromatsu said softly, opening his eyes a little. "I have it under control. Do you feel like it's working?"

"I don't-" Osomatsu was sitting with his eyes shut, clenching and unclenching his fists. When he opened them again, he looked nervously at the door. "I haven't heard anything yet. I don't know."

Choromatsu glanced at the door as well. "When did Karamatsu say he would be back?" he asked. Immediately, he felt a pang of sadness rush over him. He looked back at Osomatsu, who was staring at the door, eyes wide. He opened and closed his mouth. His lower lip quivered.

"I- I don't…" he started. His voice was weak. He took a shaky breath. "I can't see him."

"What do you me-" Choromatsu stopped abruptly when Osomatsu's face scrunched up again, but it wasn't from pain this time.

"Stop it, Choromatsu," he croaked, hiding his face in his hands. "Make it go away."

Choromatsu's jaw dropped, and he quickly rushed over to Osomatsu, letting the bond fade away by itself. "Osomatsu," he said gently, putting one hand on each of his shoulders. "It's okay. It's fading."

He didn't answer at first, nor did he react to his touch. "… It's called a more merciful punishment than death," he said almost soundlessly. "But I don't know. Devil's aren't supposed to have those kinds of emotions. I've… I've done too much. Even if I haven't done as much these last... t- ten years…" He stopped, curling his fingers so that his nails tug into his forehead.

Choromatsu swallowed, reaching up to take his hands in his own. "Stop that," he said, bringing their hands to his lap. "You're going to hurt yourself."

"I – I haven't – I haven't done anything because of what happened ten years ago. Which is – I'm –" His voice was rising, and his breath became rapid. His face was blank, aside from the helpless look in his eyes. "I d- didn't even hesitate back then –"

"Hey," Choromatsu said, scooting forward. He reached out to him, bringing him into a careful embrace. "Calm down. It's alright. Nothing is unforgivable."

"You say that, but you already know what I did, don't you?"

He stiffened. Osomatsu's voice was hollow and cold, as if he'd gotten to the point where he could leave the emotions behind, and had now become empty of all of them. He swallowed, nuzzling his face into the devil's hair. "Who you were before isn't something I have to worry about," he said. "You regret what you did, and that means you've changed. It's been years. Maybe… Maybe he'll understand."

Osomatsu scoffed halfheartedly. "It's not something anyone would understand," he whispered. He was quiet for a few second, before he leaned away, giving him an incredulous looks. "You… You did this on purpose. You used the soul binding to make me speak, not to- You-"

Choromatsu swallowed again. "W- Well… Partially, maybe…"

" _You_ manipulated _me,_ " Osomatsu muttered. He said it as if something impossible had happened. "That's not right. It's supposed to be the other way around."

He scoffed a little. "That's reassuring," he said, before sighing. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have… I didn't think you would react like that."

Osomatsu looked at him, then averted his eyes. "It's not the first time you've seen me break down anyway…" he mumbled ruefully. "But now you see, at least. Why I've been acting strange. It is exactly what you think it is." He looked at him again, smiling without any trace of happiness. "Ten years ago, I-"

The door opened. Choromatsu forgot to disguise himself, but again, it was just Karamatsu. He froze when he came in, looking like he'd accidentally walked in on somebody in the dressing room.

"Uh- Sorry? How is it going?" he asked.

Osomatsu cleared his throat. "Sorry, we tried making the preacher's words less painful for me," he said. "I don't know if it worked. But aside from that, everything is fine." He got to his feet, turning to take the pot off the coffee machine. "Twenty minutes sure passes quickly."

"Sorry, it's the soul binding," Choromatsu said, standing up as well. "It puts your body in a sort trance to make the process seem quicker, especially when I have to strengthen the bond that much that quickly, so... I should've told you that before, maybe."

"Maybe you should have."

"Just put the coffee in those containers, and then put them on that table over there, so that we can roll it out to the guests when the synod is over," Karamatsu said. "Also, there's tea and a kettle in that cabinet. I usually just make coffee, but since there's more people here today, there's probably some more tea drinkers." He sent a smile to Osomatsu. "I don't think he'll continue much longer."

Osomatsu shook his head. "It's alright," he said, taking the coffee mug to pour it into the container. Choromatsu started preparing the next round of coffee in the meantime.

Karamatsu nodded. "Uh, Choromatsu," he said. "You should probably make yourself invisible again. New people tend to think this is the bathroom, so they come in here sometimes."

"Oh, okay." Choromatsu hid himself again, while still putting spoons of coffee powder into the machine. It earned an amused look from Osomatsu, who was looking at the seemingly floating spoon.

This time, when the door closed again, none of them said anything. They worked in heavy silence, with Osomatsu preparing the tea, and Choromatsu the coffee. Choromatsu could see that him being invisible made Osomatsu uneasy, as he was moving carefully to not crash into him again. When Choromatsu moved an object, his eyes snapped to where he was, before quickly looking away again. He gave a sigh, not happy with the way things turned out. He didn't know Osomatsu would react that strongly. If he had, he wouldn't have manipulated him into doing it. Manipulating wasn't really something he should do in general. He was a _megami_. Goddesses don't do that.

"Are you looking at me?" Osomatsu suddenly asked. He was looking at the mug Choromatsu was holding, and he realized he'd stopped moving when he got distracted by his thoughts. He put the mug back in the coffee machine, releasing the spell a little.

"Sorry," he said. "Got lost in thought."

"The meeting is over soon – hopefully – so we should get done with this as quickly as possible," Osomatsu said.

Choromatsu gave him a slight smile. "It's not like you to be this productive," he commented.

"Well, it's not like you to be cunning, but here we are," Osomatsu retorted, wiping away Choromatsu's smile. The devil looked at him reproachfully for a few moments, before his face scrunched up in annoyance and he dragged a hand over his face. "I'm allowed to be mad at you," he said, then glanced back at him. "Right?"

Choromatsu blinked. "Uh… Yes?" It felt like losing a battle saying that, but it was the truth.

Osomatsu gave a muffled groan. "Stupid soul binding," he huffed. "When we're done with this, I'm gonna do something really fucked up for no good reason, and I'm gonna feel good about it. This is annoying."

"You don't need to prove your… _devilishness_ to me," Choromatsu said slowly.

"I'm not proving it to you." Osomatsu took the kettle off the stove, bringing it over to one of the three containers. "Do you think this is hot enough? I have next to no idea how this thing works." He took the lid off and dipped his finger in the boiling water.

Just then, Karamatsu opened the door. He opened his mouth to speak, but then he noticed what Osomatsu was doing, and gave a strangled yelp. " _Os- Sto- Y-"_ he said intelligently.

Osomatsu blinked confusedly at him, before noticing what he was doing as well, and brought his hand up from the water again. "Hey," he giggled. "I can handle a little hot water."

Karamatsu gave a weak whimper. "Right," he breathed, rubbing his forehead. Then he cleared his throat, straightening his back. "He's finishing up now, so I'm just going to say a few words, and then the meeting is over. People will be beginning to leave the church, but some usually stay behind to chat and drink coffee, so please put it all on that table and roll it out into the nave by the doors."

"Is this a church or a café?" Osomatsu asked.

"It's merely hospitality," Karamatsu said, smiling lopsidedly. "This is a house of God, but also my beloved church. I want people to feel at home here." He paused for a moment. "I hope you also feel like it is," he added.

Choromatsu smiled at that, and looked to Osomatsu. He was looking at Karamatsu with his lips slightly parted in bewilderment. He gave a laughing huff.

"I feel as at home here as a devil in a church can," he said, though he was smiling fondly. And a little bit teasingly.

Karamatsu's cheeks became a little red at that. "Oh- Right," he said. "Anyway, I have to go. Please prepare the drinks." He closed the door again.

Osomatsu kicked the counter. The guilty feeling was back.

Choromatsu decided he'd leave the spell partially off in favor of being able to speak to him. "You know," he said, beginning to pour coffee into the second container. "No matter how much you do for him, the guilt won't subside until you tell him, and earn his forgiveness."

"As that forgiveness is something I'm never going to get, this is the least I could do," Osomatsu replied, and poured the hot water into the third container. "It's better if I don't. It'll screw everything up. I need as much help as I can get in this situation. If Tougou starts attacking, we'll need the extra firepower, and Karamatsu has the abilities to become strong… He just needs a little practice. I can tell him when all of this is over."

"That can take years," Choromatsu said. "Are you going to lie to him that whole time?"

"It's not lying!" he protested, before he blinked. "Wait _– So what_ if I'm lying? I'm _supposed_ to be lying!"

Choromatsu deadpanned. "Now you're just being ridiculous. You're not _supposed_ to do anything just because you are what you are."

Osomatsu strode over to the cabinet, taking out the tea bags to put it on the table. "I want to," he said. "It's what I've always done. It's who I am. Fuck this … emotion bullshit." He grumbled something about PMS under his breath.

"Fine," Choromatsu sighed, dragging a hand through his hair. "Do what you want."

"Yeah," Osomatsu said, lifting the containers onto the table. "I fucking will. Can you get those cups?"

When they finished putting everything on the table, Choromatsu turned himself invisible again, after telling Osomatsu that he would be right behind him when they walked out in the nave. Osomatsu rolled the table out the door quietly, as Karamatsu stood by the altar, speaking clearly and confidently to the audience.

Choromatsu knew Karamatsu as an often painfully dramatic, yet sometimes a humble type of guy – though mostly because he was the one who knew the least about the situation – , so seeing him like this gave him a feeling of pride he wasn't expecting. He seemed much bigger up there, like his presence had doubled. His eyes moved from face to face, making Choromatsu feel like he was speaking to each individual person, not just an audience. He really was passionate about his job, and his faith. Which was brave, in a time like this. Teaming up with a devil and a demon was probably the last thing the priest would think he'd do, but even so he wasn't backing down, taking this threat of the end of his world upon his shoulders without a hint of hesitation. Choromatsu tried imagining himself in his shoes – He was just a man, surrounded by powerful beings he'd previously just read about in his bible, getting to know that the man he'd accidentally run into was actually the son of the new king of Hell, carrying the word of the apocalypse. Also, the nun he'd known for months was actually a fallen angel, by the way. And you've been haunted by his brother for almost as long, basically. Choromatsu didn't understand how he handled it so well. It was admirable.

"Now, before the synod comes to an end, let us pray," Karamatsu said. He folded his hands, and closed his eyes. The audience did the same. Then the nave lied in silence, as each of them told their own silent prayers. Choromatsu could feel a comfortable warmth in his chest. Osomatsu shifted his weight from foot to foot impatiently.

"I'm so fucking misplaced in here," he laughed bitterly under his breath. Choromatsu opened his mouth to answer, but then remembered he couldn't hear him. Instead, he reached for his shoulders, and started massaging them softly. Osomatsu tensed for a second, before he turned his head. He was smiling. "Thanks, buddy," he whispered.

"Amen," Karamatsu said, opening his eyes again. "Thank you all for gathering here today. I hope to see you next Sunday. There's coffee and tea in the back if anyone wants to stay here for a little while. The church is open for everyone until twelve o'clock. Have a nice day." He smiled, bowed, then walked away from the altar.

People started getting to their feet, and the nave filled with the buzzing sound of their voices again. Choromatsu stopped massaging Osomatsu's shoulders, but kept his hands on top of them, just to assure him that he was there. People started coming to the table.

"Does it cost anything?" one woman asked.

"Uh," Osomatsu started awkwardly. "No, it's free… right?"

"You're not supposed to be talking to me," Choromatsu said, even though he knew Osomatsu couldn't hear him. He slapped his shoulder instead.

"Oh, right," Osomatsu said, laughing a little. "Sorry. It's free."

The woman gave him a peculiar look. "Okay…" she said slowly. "How nice." She took a cup, and filled it with coffee, before heading back into the crowd of people.

After that, more people came to their table, some of them asking the first question as the first lady, others coming and going without saying anything, and some initiating conversation, like "what a nice synod this was" or "how kind Mr. Matsuno is, don't you think?" or "I feel like there's something special about this church. People should come here more often, really."

Osomatsu answered more and more easily for each time someone spoke to him, but all of his answers had hints of irony in them that left the other part a bit bewildered. "Nicest I've ever experienced," he said. "You should meet him in the mornings," he laughed. "Yeah, I wonder why that is," he said, kicking Choromatsu's leg lightly.

The coffee and tea slowly emptied, along with the nave, and Choromatsu was just beginning to feel bored when an old wrinkly lady walked over to their table. She looked at Osomatsu with a curious look in her eyes.

"Uh, hello," Osomatsu said. "Do I have something on my face?"

"Oh, my apologies," the lady said. "Young man… I hope you don't mind me asking: Is there something on your mind?"

Osomatsu tilted his head to the side. "…Why?" he asked after a moment. "Do I look troubled or something?"

"I can feel a bad aura coming from you," the lady said seriously. "There's a dangerous darkness inside of you. Like you have a devil on your back."

Choromatsu gave a surprised laugh, but when Osomatsu did the same, he dug his fingers harshly into his shoulders to shut him up. The devil cleared his throat, wincing just a little bit. "Uh- I don't … I don't know what you're talking about, really," he said. "I'm pretty sure I don't have a devil on my back."

"Even so," the lady continued, smiling kindly as if she'd been expecting this reaction. "Would you mind if I prayed for you?"

Osomatsu stiffened. It took a long time for him to answer, and Choromatsu understood exactly why: Praying _for_ him would most definitely be an uncomfortable experience, but while playing the role of a normal human, just serving warm drinks, he didn't really have an excuse to say no to this. Would that be too weird and suspicious? It would be better to stay on the safe side. Apparently, Osomatsu came to the same conclusion.

"Sure…" he said. "Uh, what do I do?"

"Just sit," the lady said with a content smile. "You don't have to do anything."

Osomatsu nodded, and reluctantly walked over to the closest bench. Choromatsu patted his shoulder, before letting go. He watched as the lady took his spot behind the his back and put her hands on his shoulders, closing her eyes. "Dear lord," she started. Osomatsu's jaw tightened.

Choromatsu looked around for Karamatsu. Although this was slightly amusing to watch, he could see Osomatsu's face progressively becoming more strained, and it was probably not going to end well if the lady kept going. Poor woman. Her heart was in the right place, but …

He spotted Karamatsu outside in the yard, chatting with a couple of people. Choromatsu jogged over to him, careful not to bump into anyone. When he got to him, he tapped his chest twice, trying to be careful so that he didn't get scared. Even so, he tensed a little, earning some odd looks from the people he was talking with. Choromatsu dragged his hand over his shoulder, before beginning to write on his back with his finger: "O-S-O"

Karamatsu seemed to understand, and cleared his throat. "Ah, sorry, I just remembered there's something I have to do inside," he said. "It was nice chatting with you."

"Oh, okay. You too," one of them men said. "Take care."

"See you next Monday," the other said.

"I'm looking forward to it!" Karamatsu said, before scurrying into the nave again. When he noticed Osomatsu sitting by the old lady, who was standing above him with her hands on his shoulders, mumbling inaudibly, he hesitated, but walked over. He cleared his throat again. "Excuse me ma'am, could I borrow Osomatsu from you?" he asked.

Osomatsu had been sitting with his eyes shut, face red, with a vein looking ready to burst in his forehead, but when he heard Karamatsu's voice, he snapped them open. "Karamatsu!" he said, way too enthusiastic to be natural. "W- Were- Do you still need help with … that …" He faltered, waving his hands helplessly. "…thing?"

"Oh, of course," the lady said, taking a step back. "I was just praying for him. Do you feel any different … Osomatsu?" She said the name like she was asking if she was pronouncing it correctly.

Osomatsu turned to her, giving a strained smile. "Sure do," he said, standing up. His knees were quivering ever so slightly. "Thank you for your, uh, concern."

"No problem at all," she said, smiling kindly. "I hope I see you here next Sunday as well. Good bye, then." She sent a smile to Karamatsu, before turning around, hobbling out of the church.

The moment she was out of earshot, Osomatsu sat down again with a loud, whiny moan. "My _head!_ "

Choromatsu sat down on the floor between the benches, then released his invisibility just enough to be heard. "Surely it can't be that bad," he said, not particularly feeling the need to hide the laughing smile on his lips. "If you can handle exorcism, you can handle that, right?"

Osomatsu sent him a scowl. "It's different," he mumbled.

"Sorry, I should've paid more attention," Karamatsu said. "I didn't mean for you to go through that."

At that, Osomatsu's behavior abruptly changed. He sent the priest a sunny smile, then hopped up onto his feet as if nothing had happened. "Don't worry, I'm just being dramatic! You're doing great!" He sent him a thumbs up. "I'm gonna go back and check on Totty. See you!" He turned on his heel, skipping out of the church, way too cheerfully. So much for being a master of deceiving.

Karamatsu looked after him with a confused look in his eyes. "I apologize if this sounds rude or intrusive," he said after a moment. "But I feel like there's something he isn't telling me. Did I do something to anger him?"

Choromatsu's jaw dropped. "No! No, no," he said quickly, waving his hands. He looked after Osomatsu, trying to find a way to put his next words without revealing anything that wasn't his to reveal. "I think he has some personal problems he needs to sort out first. After that, maybe he'll come to us. I hope he will, but in the meantime, we just have to give him some time."

"I see…" Karamatsu folded his hands. "He looked pretty shaken up when I came into the kitchen."

"That was my fault," Choromatsu said. "I manipulated him into letting me use the soul binding for my own gains, and it didn't end the way I thought it would. I think, despite being what he is, he's a very sensitive person. It might be because he, as a devil, isn't used to the kinds of emotions that we feel every day, and thus doesn't know how to deal with them. Which is a part of this whole problem, to be honest. He doesn't know how to deal with the guilt he feels."

"Guilt?"

Choromatsu stiffened, realizing his mistake. He swallowed, and looked back at Karamatsu. "I'm sorry," he said. "It isn't in my place to talk about this. I can only advice you to let him take his time. I can assure you that he isn't angry with you."

Karamatsu frowned. "So he's guilty about something that has to do with _me_?"

"I can't speak for him," he said, folding his hands nervously. "You'll have to talk to him yourself. I can't promise you that he'll be nice about it, though."

Karamatsu looked thoughtful, staring at the gates where Osomatsu had disappeared. Then he sent Choromatsu a halfhearted smile. "We'll deal with that later," he said. "Right now I have things to do here. If you want to go back, then that's fine. With the soul binding it's probably best for Osomatsu too."

He didn't wait for Choromatsu to answer, but walked up to the altar instead, sagging just a little more in his step that earlier.

Osomatsu didn't feel uncomfortable laying distance between himself and the church, so because of the soul binding, he had a suspicion that Choromatsu wasn't far behind. And he didn't really want to talk to him. He felt bad for thinking that way – Choromatsu could often be an annoying know it all, but he was generally fun to be with, and he almost trusted him as much as he trusted Todomatsu, despite not knowing him for that long. Maybe he was being naïve, but he didn't care. He'd take that risk. Yet right now, Choromatsu would have him talk about _serious things_ and he was already tired, so no thanks.

He headed into Karamatsu's front yard. The door opened before he got to it.

"Hey," Todomatsu said, smiling teasingly. "I was wondering when you'd come back. You look exhausted. Was it fun?"

"A woman prayed for me," he said.

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah." He grinned, hopping up the steps to the front door. "She said she felt a _darkness_ inside of me, like there was a devil on my back."

Todomatsu laughed incredulously as they walked into the house together. Then he hummed thoughtfully. "Not to break the mood, but it's a little worrisome that she even noticed that," he said.

"It's what would have happened with more people, if I wasn't bound to Choromatsu," Osomatsu said. "I'm surprised she could see past his light to notice mine. Or, my darkness, according to her. How's Jyushimatsu doing?"

"He's on the veranda." He sent him a smile. "He said you and him fell asleep there. How cute."

Osomatsu sent him a pointed look. "Like how you and Karamatsu were cuddling this morning?"

Todomatsu's face became red. "Th- That's different," he said. "I was trying to find the kitchen."

"Oh, that explains everything," Osomatsu said, grinning deviously. He jumped away from him before he could hit him, then walked over to the veranda doors. He stepped outside, finding Jyushimatsu in the middle of the garden, looking up into the sky.

"Hey, Jyushi," Osomatsu called, jogging over to him. "What'cha thinking about?"

Jyushimatsu turned to him, his usual goofy smile back on his face. "Nothing in particular!" he replied, loud and excited.

He sat down beside him. "I can relate," he said, giving a light laugh.

He turned back to see Todomatsu walking towards them as well. He sat down on the other side of Jyushimatsu. "I've been thinking," he said, leaning forward on his knees to look at both of them. "I should get back down there. To see what's going on."

Osomatsu blinked. He'd completely forgotten that the reason Todomatsu had joined them in the first place was to act like a spy for them. "Are you sure?" was the first words he said. "I mean… I know I suggested this the first time, but-"

"You're so sweet for worrying about me," Todomatsu interrupted, smiling teasingly. "But I want to do this. I can't believe I'm saying it, but … it's for the greater good, and all that. We need more information to be able to fight back. Maybe I'll get back in time for Ichimatsu to bring more information to the Heavens, and convince them that shit is actually going down."

"But it's dangerous," he argued weakly.

"I'm not stupid," Todomatsu said. "I know how the situation is. But I can do this. You don't have to be so protective all the time."

" _All the time_?" he repeated incredulously. "I'm not being protective, I'm being … realistic."

"It's okay," Jyushimatsu butted in, smiling to both of them. "Todomatsu is strong. He will be okay!"

Todomatsu smiled warmly. "Jyushimatsu-niis-" he stopped, a horrified expression on his face.

"Holy shit," Osomatsu said, before throwing his head backwards in manic laughter. Jyushimatsu gave a surprised, yet delighted cackle. When the laughter stilled and he managed to look back at Todomatsu again, he was sitting there stiffly, his face red and contorted in angry embarrassment. " _Hoo_ ," he sighed, not trying to get the teasing grin off his face. "First Ichimatsu, and now Jyushimatsu. It's just Choromatsu and Karamatsu left now, you might as well just say it when he comes home."

"Shut up!" Todomatsu exclaimed, getting to his feet. "It's just because I'm used to adding it to your name!"

"You can call me Jyushimatsu-niisan if you want to!" Jyushimatsu said, and laughed loudly when Todomatsu sent him an angry scowl.

"It's not _that_ embarrassing, Jyushimatsu calls me that as well," Osomatsu pointed out, but received only a furious groan in response. He didn't calm down until Osomatsu and Jyushimatsu completely stopped laughing at him.

"You done?" he grumbled, crossing his arms.

"What have I missed here?" Choromatsu's voice then sounded. The three of them turned to him.

"Choromatsu!" Osomatsu exclaimed. "Totty has something he wants to say to you! Go on, Totty~!"

"Totty!" Jyushimatsu echoed excitedly.

Choromatsu looked confused. "What, Todomatsu?" he asked.

" _Nothing_!" Todomatsu growled, and Choromatsu raised his eyebrows, looking from him, to Osomatsu, utterly bewildered. Todomatsu massaged his temples. "I'm leaving for Hell."

"He wants to call you Choromatsu-niisan," Osomatsu said.

"Huh?"

" _Osomatsu!_ " Todomatsu stomped his foot, looking back at him. "Would you shut up for one second? Are you really gonna let me leave on this note? What if I get caught? You're so heartless!"

Osomatsu smiled innocently. "I think it's a pretty good note. Everyone's a big family, right?" he replied, hopping up on his feet. He helped Jyushimatsu up, and Choromatsu walked over to them, still with the confused expression on his face. "But you're right. Be careful down there."

"Do you know what you're doing?" Choromatsu asked. "Do you have a plan?"

"As far as they are concerned, I haven't done anything wrong," Todomatsu said. "I only have to do as I'd do on any other day. It's fine." He gave both Choromatsu and Osomatsu disgruntled looks. "It's like nobody here thinks I know what I'm doing except Jyushimatsu."

"Don't you mean Jyushimatsu-niis-"

" _Osomatsu!_ "

"Alright, sorry." He laughed, and Todomatsu slapped his arm. Then he remembered something. "But hey, aren't you gonna wait until Karamatsu comes back?"

"You can tell him I left," Todomatsu said. "I've gathered the coura- _motivation_ to leave, and if I wait I'm afraid I'll …" He struggled with his words for a moment. "That I won't have the energy to do it."

The four of them became quiet. It was apparent that it was fear that was the problem, but nobody wanted to mention the elephant in the room. Except the one with next to no verbal filter.

"It's okay to be scared, Totty," Jyushimatsu said, smiling encouragingly. "We all are."

Todomatsu blinked at him, before he gave a bothered laugh. "Don't worry," he said. "Like you said: I can do it."

"Todomatsu…" Osomatsu said slowly, attracting Todomatsu's attention to him. He grinned, spreading his arms to his sides. "Give your big brother a hug before you go!" He lunged at him before waiting for an answer.

Todomatsu made a startled sound, stretching his arms forward in an attempt to push him away. "You're so _annoying_ sometimes!" he whined, making Osomatsu laugh harder.

"But what about the first time you came to the church?" he sang, not giving up on the hug.

" _I told you that wasn't something I'd usually do!_ "

He laughed, but let Todomatsu have his way in the end. "So cold," he said, still grinning. Todomatsu just scowled at him. "Well, good luck anyway. I believe in you."

"That's cheesy," he said, rolling his eyes. "I took one of the stones earlier today, niisan. You should really put them somewhere more secure than under your pillow. Anyways, I'll be going. See you."

He closed his eyes, and then dematerialized into black smoke, disappearing into the ground.

"It's a little eerie, the way he does that," Choromatsu commented, looking at the spot Todomatsu had disappeared.

"It's probably just jealousy," Osomatsu said. "Because you can't teleport." He grinned.

Choromatsu deadpanned. "Says the being without wings," he retorted.

"Well, there are devils with wings, you know," Osomatsu said, crossing his arms. "Lucifer for instance. I don't know if he has them anymore though, because Tougou-"

"Actually, I was going to make some tea, do you want some?" Choromatsu interrupted. Jyushimatsu gave an excited yell that probably meant yes.

"Can you get me a beer?" Osomatsu asked.

"No, I can't get you Karamatsu's beer. I don't even know if there is any." Choromatsu gave him one of those know-it-all looks of his, making it hard for Osomatsu not to roll his eyes. "You can have tea. Do you want some?"

"Yeah, yeah, tea sounds great," he said, waving his hand.

Choromatsu sent him a quick smile, before walking into the house again. To be honest, Osomatsu wasn't that fond of tea, but the longer Choromatsu was gone, the longer he could prolong things before he would eventually try to have that unavoidable serious talk with him, and if it was one thing he was good at, it was procrastinating.

With difficulty, Ichimatsu blinked his eyes open. His vision was blurry for several moments, and when it cleared, he didn't recognize the roof above him. It took him a moment to remember where he was, and what he was there for. When he did, he abruptly sat up, looking around drowsily. He felt as if his head was filled with cotton. His eyelids were heavier than usual. Clearly, he wasn't as well rested as he'd hoped when he'd left the Surface – or Earth, as people up here simply called it, and two teleportations in so little time was obviously still too much for him to handle.

He wasn't particularly worried about where he was – People up here wouldn't hurt a Reaper. Nobody really did, because they were neutral beings, and most people didn't want to have anything to do with death anyway.

He was sitting on a bed in a small room. Beside him was a window, with the view of a busy street. It was a nice day outside, but it always was in the Heavens. It added to the false sense of serenity everyone tried to uphold. Or maybe they were just stupid.

Sliding his legs out of bed, he slowly got up, testing his feet before standing straight. He walked over the floor quietly, carefully opening the door. What met him was a small kitchen, with two angels sitting by the table. They saw him the second he peeked into the room. One of them stood up, and Ichimatsu stiffened. She smiled kindly, if not a little nervously.

"Good morning," she said. "Uh- Please don't be afraid."

Ichimatsu stared at her for a long time before remembered the acceptable way to react to that was by responding. "I'm not," he said flatly.

The other angel, a man, stood up, walking up to stand beside the girl. "We-"

"Where am I and why am I here?" Ichimatsu interrupted.

The two of them both looked a little startled at his tone. He didn't mean to sound angry, that was just the way he sounded when he was nervous. And to keep up his image as a respected Reaper, he didn't know how to explain that, without revealing the fact that he was nervous. He wasn't nervous. He was a Reaper. They should be nervous. Or, they _were_ nervous. As they should be. He was a Reaper, after all.

"… when you didn't respond, so-"

"What?" Ichimatsu interrupted again, having completely forgotten to follow the conversation, wrapped up in his own thoughts.

The man swallowed. "The two of us…" he started carefully, looking at him for some sort of confirmation. When he didn't answer, he continued: "… were out walking. Then you suddenly appeared out of nowhere. We, uh … We immediately recognized you as... as a, uh-"

"A Reaper?" Ichimatsu offered.

"Y- Yeah!" the man continued, giving him weary looks. "So… we thought something bad had happened – Th- That someone had died, I mean, because that's what … what you do?"

Ichimatsu rolled his eyes. "Just continue with the story."

"Right, of course!" He glanced at the girl, who put a hand on his shoulder, and took a step forward.

"You collapsed," she said. "You appeared, then staggered for a few seconds, before collapsing. We didn't know what to do – We couldn't just leave you there. So we brought you here. Did… Has anything happened? Up here, I mean. Nobody has died here ever since..." She trailed off, her face changing from nervousness to one of mystification, and then surprise. "Aren't you-"

"I'm nobody," Ichimatsu interrupted, feeling his chest tighten. Of course everyone would know about what he did, and recognize his face. Things worked that way in the Heavens. Everyone worked together, lived together, and shared everything. No wonder why he hadn't fit in there. "Thank you for your hospitality. I have to go now."

"But why are you here?" the man said. "Reapers never come here. They just mean something bad is about to happen, or … that something bad has already happened."

Ichimatsu gave him a blank look. "The world is about to end," he said. "Where is the door?"

"Wh- What-"

"The _door._ "

The woman pointed to a hallway. "Th- That way, sir," she said.

Ichimatsu nodded, then walked passed them without another word.

Heh. _Sir._ He didn't know how he felt about that.

He pushed the entrance doors open, looking around himself to try to pinpoint where he was, before beginning to walk down the crowded street, looking straight ahead to ignore the looks he was getting from the people around him.

He could tell he wasn't far from the headquarters, as that was where it was the busiest, and then it got progressively more peaceful the farther away from it you got. He stopped in his tracks, turning to the nearest person, just to be sure.

"Hey," he started.

The angel jumped, and turned to him. "Y- yes?"

Ichimatsu blinked, far from used to these kinds of responses. "What way is the headquarters?" he asked.

"Oh, uh." The angel cleared his throat. He pointed down the road. "If you walk down three blocks from here, you'll get to a big street. You can see the headquarters from there, to your right."

"Thanks," Ichimatsu mumbled, then continued walking without saying goodbye, because if he was going to treat him like he was the goddamn plague, then he definitely didn't deserve to be treated with politeness.

He did as the angel said, still promptly ignoring the people around him. He felt their looks on his neck, staring at him with either judgement or fear. The respect he could live with – as an angel, he'd only been one of many, and a failure as well. He didn't fit in, and that had been his downfall. Being a human had been even worse. He belonged there less than he'd done in the Heavens. And now he was a Reaper, at with it followed respect, but respect due to fear. He didn't know if he liked that – at least not right now. He _knew_ he was going to like it when he met those bastards who made him fall again.

A few minutes later, he came to the street the angel had talked about, and sure enough, when he looked to his right, he could see the gigantic building that was the headquarters. He got an unexpected sick feeling his stomach, but it didn't stop him from beginning to walk towards it. Still, he didn't look at the people around him.

It wasn't until he reached the main square that he let his eyes wander. People were, as expected, looking at him with worried expressions, but when he looked back at them, they quickly turned away. He knew what they were thinking – He was a Reaper, so looking at him would be the same as looking death in the eyes, right? Maybe they thought it was bad luck.

The previous times he'd been to the headquarters, he always had to push through the crowds, struggling to get where he wanted without being bumped into, but now, people were getting out of his way. Some even bowed to him as he walked past. Did anyone recognize his face? If they didn't, it obviously didn't matter to them who he used to be. The one who killed an angel and got himself expelled from the Heavens… Was it a surprise that he ended up becoming a Reaper?

He scoffed, looking ahead again. Screw them. They'd never respected him. They'd treated him like vermin, because he hadn't met their standards. And now, look how the tables had turned. It was his turn to look down upon them.

It felt good, but in a cold kind of way.

When he reached the entrance door, he slammed them open forcefully. He walked over to the reception, appreciating the way the receptionists' eyes widened in shock. "Yo," he said as he came closer. He recognized the pink haired girl sitting behind the desk, but he couldn't remember her name. She looked back at him with wide eyes.

"U- Uh… Good morning," she said after a moment. "May I help you?"

"Maybe," he said. "I'm here to warn you about an incoming apocalypse."

The girl blinked, then frowned. "Jyushimatsu?" she said.

Ichimatsu felt a smile tug on his lips. It had been a while. "No. His brother," he said. When her mouth fell open in realization, he interrupted her before she could start going on about how he was kicked out, why he'd killed that angel, why he'd become a Reaper and whatnot. "There's been an uprising in Hell. I need to get this message to the Great Council."

"Sure thing," she said, sounding worried, lifting her hand to her temple, but stopped mid-movement. She gave him a puzzled look. "Did you send your brother up here earlier to say this?"

Ichimatsu shook his head. "He came here by his own choice."

"So he was telling the truth?"

He stared at her. "Of course he was," he said, surprising himself when anger abruptly boiled up in his chest. "He came here because he overheard a conversation. He heard it from a _devil_ so the source was doubtful to begin with, but he took the risk anyway, and all he got in return was an arrest warrant and a broken wing! Now could you just send me up there so I can try and get the Great Council's asses moving, because the world is about to be taken over, and you are all just too caught up in your own bullshit to notice!"

"Of- Of course, my apologies!" the girl said, bringing her hand to her temples. She closed her eyes, frowning in concentration. Then she let her hand fall again, meeting Ichimatsu's eyes stiffly. "The elevator will take you to the right floor. Have a nice day," she said quickly, motioning to the elevator.

Ichimatsu resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Thank you," he said flatly, then walked away from her.

He stepped into the elevator, and as the doors closed, he felt his stomach tighten with anticipation. Every time he got to a higher floor, he had to concentrate on breathing calmly. The elevator ringed, signalizing that he'd arrived to the right floor, just a little too soon. The doors slid open, revealing one of the many identical offices in the headquarters building.

A woman was standing by the windows. Her hair was tied in a tight knot on her head, and she wore a simple dress, appropriate for work. Ichimatsu knew who she was even before she turned around to face him. When she did, he felt his jaw drop.

"Ichimatsu," she said, looking at him with worried wonder. "It really is you."

He had to take a few moments to remember how to speak. "M- Matsuyo."

She smiled softly. "It's been a while," she said, taking a few steps towards him. Ichimatsu stood frozen in place. "I barely heard from you since you stopped going to school. Then… Next thing I knew, you were expelled from the Heavens. For murder."

Ichimatsu swallowed. "I would have tried justifying myself," he said, quiet so that his voice wouldn't quiver. "But what difference would it make? What's done is done. And the people up here never believed me anyway."

"Can you justify taking somebody's life?" Matsuyo asked, stopping a few meters in front of him.

"This isn't the time to talk about morals," he replied, straightening his back. "I've come here to deliver a message, about an uprising in Hell."

"This is the second time in only a few days that we've received such news."

"Yes, and the first time you didn't listen," Ichimatsu said. "That was a mistake. Lucifer has been overthrown by a devil called Tougou. He and his family has been preaching about taking over the Sur- the Earth for many centuries, and now the plan has been set into action. He will try to take over the Earth, and then go to war against the Heavens."

"Where have you gotten this information, Ichimatsu?" Matsuyo asked calmly, as if she hadn't just heard that the world as she knew it was about to end. Maybe she didn't believe him. He wanted to think that she did. He didn't know how she'd come to work in the headquarters, but before she did that, she'd been a teacher at the school he'd gone to. She'd been the only one who understood that he wasn't able to reach as far as the other fledglings, and was able to work with him in a way that fit him as an individual. The same went for Jyushimatsu – She'd been the closest to a mother they'd ever had.

But then again, she worked in the headquarters now. He couldn't know what they'd stuffed into her mind and this point.

"A devil called Osomatsu," he said. "Tougou's son."

Matsuyo stared at him for a long time. She raised her eyebrows. "A devil?" she repeated. "And the son of the man who's taken over as well? You do realize this isn't a trustworthy source, Ichimatsu?"

"He also told me that if you wouldn't trust him," he continued, quenching the unexpected anger forming in his chest. Why he felt angry for someone not trusting Osomatsu, he didn't know. He didn't want to figure it out either. "you could meet and talk to him. You'd have to travel to Earth for that, though."

"What has gotten into you, Ichimatsu?" Matsuyo asked, taking a step forward. "Was he the one who convinced you into becoming a Reaper?"

"That was my choice," Ichimatsu said harshly. "If someone made me do anything, it was the Heavens, when they kicked me out. Nothing is worse than having your wings ripped off. I'd rather die, but I have a brother to look after. Becoming a Reaper was my idea, and my choice, and I don't regret it a second. This is who I am now."

Matsuyo shook her head sadly. "He's a devil! He has tricked you!"

"No, he has not!" he snapped, clenching his fists. "I trust him. He's been through more hardships than any of us to make you listen to his warning. He betrayed his father, all of Hell, and was sentenced to death, because he wants to save the Surface. I _know_ he's telling the truth. And if you ignore this, the new king of Hell will only succeed in his plans, and you will fail as the protectors of the Earth. Do you understand this?"

Matsuyo only looked at him uncertainly. She folded her hands, lowering her gaze nervously to the floor. She probably wanted to believe him, knowing her, but as every other angel, she'd been taught that devils and demons were not to be trusted, and therefore all of this must be a lie.

Ichimatsu took another step forward, reaching out towards her. "A war is coming, Matsuyo," he said, quieter now. "At least let me take you down to Earth to meet him."

Matsuyo looked at his hand, then closed her eyes. "I want to give him a chance, if you trust him so much, Ichimatsu," she said. "But you probably already understand that the others won't be convinced that easily. I'll come with you, but for security reasons, I'll have to bring another angel with me. Is that okay?"

"It has to be, doesn't it?" Ichimatsu said. "When can we leave?"

"I have to talk to the Council first," she said, turning around to walk over to her desk. Ichimatsu followed her silently. "If we're lucky, I'll only have to bring with me one other angel. I know you don't like too many strangers at once." She gave him a warm smile, which slowly melted into a sadder one. She took a step forward, bringing her hand to his cheek. "I'm sorry that all of this happened to you," she said softly.

Ichimatsu lowered his gaze, but leaned into her touch. "Don't be," he said. "I'm better this way."

The statement didn't make her any happier. "Know this, Ichimatsu," she said, moving to put her hands on his shoulders. "It doesn't matter that you've become a Reaper. I know you think people judge you, and some people sadly do, but at the very least, you don't have to be afraid of _me_. You're like a son to me. I'll always love you, no matter what."

Ichimatsu opened his mouth to answer, but his lip quivered, and there was a lump in his throat. He took a shaky breath, closing his eyes. "I know," he whispered, swallowing thickly. Clearing his throat, he turned away from her to look out the window – or just anywhere else but her. "We don't have that much time. Let's get going."

When Karamatsu came home, Jyushimatsu and the others found themselves out in the backyard again. Karamatsu had made lemonade, which was what Jyushimatsu was drinking right now. It was one of the best things he'd ever tasted – but then he usually said that to everything, the first time he tasted it.

Karamatsu sat beside him, studying his parents' notes and documentations, deeply concentrated. He kept muttering to himself, and sometimes he would point out stuff he thought was interesting and show it to Jyushimatsu, and Jyushimatsu always reacted as if he too found it interesting, but he didn't really understand any of that stuff. Again, magic had never been his strong side.

Out in the garden, Choromatsu was practicing flying again. Osomatsu was trying to help, but his version of helping was obviously just cheering him on for about ten seconds, before doubling over, laughing hysterically.

"Osomatsu!" Choromatsu whined. "Can you take this more seriously?"

"I am! I am, just…" He leaned on his knees, taking a few shaky breaths. "Okay, okay. What if you try to take off, and I'll hold you up for support."

"That's a horrible idea," Choromatsu said, wrinkling his nose.

"No, just trust me," Osomatsu said, giving a thumbs up. "You're not that heavy."

"Then why did you complain so much when you carried me on your back?"

" _Please_." He waved his hand. "I always complain. Besides, I nearly died earlier that day, so I had a good reason for being tired. Come on, _Cherrymatsu_."

Choromatsu gave a sigh, then glanced in Jyushimatsu's direction. Jyushimatsu sent him an encouraging smile, giving him a thumbs up as well. He didn't really understand what Osomatsu was planning, but how bad could it be?

"Okay…" Choromatsu said slowly, bending his knees. Then he jumped, thrusting off the ground and into the air. He fluttered his wings, staying in the air for a few moments, but then started falling down again. Osomatsu leapt forward, placing himself beneath the goddess. He took a hold of his feet, in an attempt to keep him airborne. Choromatsu yelped. "Bad idea! I said- I _told_ you this was a bad idea!"

Osomatsu stumbled back and forth to keep his balance. "No, no, it's working- just keep flying! Use your wings!" he prompted between strained giggles.

Choromatsu fluttered his wings violently, but it just made Osomatsu lose his balance and stumble forward. It reminded him of the way humans staggered in the rain when their umbrella suddenly got caught in a strong gust of wind.

"Fly upwards!" Osomatsu barked. "Not to the side!"

"I'm trying!" Choromatsu hissed back.

Osomatsu continued stumbling forward in an attempt to regain control, but then tripped in his own feet and feel promptly on his face. The next second, Choromatsu yelped again, before falling onto Osomatsu's back. The devil gave a loud groan.

"Sorry," Choromatsu mumbled, but didn't sound that sincere.

"My back…" Osomatsu moaned.

Choromatsu got to his feet, then helped Osomatsu up, who was, as expected, complaining loudly. "This is your own fault," Choromatsu said sternly, but still rubbed Osomatsu's back, either to comfort him, or to look for more serious damage. "That was a stupid idea."

"You agreed to it thought," Osomatsu retorted.

"Are you saying I'm at fault here?"

"Partly, maybe."

"That's _ridiculous!_ "

"Uh," Karamatsu suddenly said. Jyushimatsu turned to him, to see he was looking up into the sky. "Is that… what I think it is?"

He followed his gaze, searching the sky until he spotted something in the distance. Three figures: Two of them glowing white, and the other menacingly dark. Jyushimatsu slowly got to his feet, trying not to whimper at the pain in his back. "It's niisan," he said. "And two angels."

The figures came closer, and meanwhile, Osomatsu and Choromatsu's argument was heating up. He didn't follow what they were talking about anymore, but Choromatsu exasperatedly threw his hands in the air, then walked promptly away from him. "Whatever, I'm going to get some water," he grumbled, not seeing that Osomatsu stuck his tongue out at him.

"Choromatsu-niisan," Jyushimatsu said, taking a hold of his arm. "They're back!"

Choromatsu gave him a puzzled look, before he too looked up to the sky. "Oh. Oh no," he said, crouching down a bit. "They can't see me. I have to hide." Then he darted into the house without another word.

Osomatsu had obviously noticed their strange behavior, because he was looking at the angels coming towards them as well, walking backwards until he was by the veranda again, just in front of Jyushimatsu and Karamatsu. "Hey," he said. His voice was a little thin. "Ichimatsu has this under control, right? Why are there two angels?"

Neither Jyushimatsu or Karamatsu answered.

"Oh right, I forgot," Osomatsu continued. "This situation is never in control. Oh well. I hope this ends okay."

"We have your back," Karamatsu said reassuringly. "We won't let them hurt you."

This time it was Osomatsu's turn not to answer. His shoulders sank just a tad. "Ichimatsu knows what he's doing," he muttered. "I'm not scared of some puny angels. No offence, Jyushimatsu."

"None taken!"

Then the three winged creatures landed gracefully on the grass, Ichimatsu in the lead. He walked over to them, a slightly strained look on his face. "I'm going to pass out," he whispered as he walked up to Osomatsu.

"I know how you feel," Osomatsu said, patting his shoulder. "Uh- What should I do now?"

"I thought you had a plan."

"Yeah, and that plan was to get the message to the Heavens," he said. "And that's about it. I have no idea what I'm going to say to convince them that I am a good guy. Or, at the moment at least, I guess?" He clenched and unclenched his fists, peeking over Ichimatsu's shoulder, then quickly hid behind Ichimatsu again. "I'm _so_ going to screw this up, holy shit."

"Get it together!" Ichimatsu hissed, before stepping aside, pushing Osomatsu forward softly.

Osomatsu stumbled a little, then straightened his back. He clenched his teeth, then started walking towards them. Almost immediately, one of the angels raised his hands, and said a few words in a rasping tone. Jyushimatsu thought he heard _poena_ and _ingeniculo – pain_ and _kneel._

Osomatsu made a strangled sound, buckling over, then fell to his knees, but in a way that made it look like he'd been physically forced down. Jyushimatsu took a step forward, but Ichimatsu spoke before him.

"What are you doing?" he demanded.

The angel looked up from Osomatsu, giving Ichimatsu a cold stare. "Making sure nobody gets hurt," he said. The other angel sent Osomatsu a worried look – That was when Jyushimatsu recognized her face.

"Except me!" Osomatsu groaned, his face almost shoved into the ground. "Is this how you hold a conversation in the Heavens? Honestly, I am _appalled_!"

"Shut it," the man said, flicking his wrist. Osomatsu whimpered as his body trembled in pain.

Just then, the veranda door slammed open, and a light shot past them, hitting the angel in the chest. "Stop it!" Choromatsu's voice sounded, abnormally loud. The angel stumbled backwards, but looked more shocked than wounded. Osomatsu gave a gasp, staggering to his feet. The angel's eyes flickered dangerously between Choromatsu and Osomatsu, and lifted his arm as if to attack Osomatsu again, but Choromatsu was faster, grabbing clenching his fist in front of himself as if grabbing an invisible rope. The angel's hand froze in the air. "I said _stop it_."

Jyushimatsu blinked at the poisonous tone in his voice. He'd never heard Choromatsu speak like that.

The angel stared at him. "I'm doing this for security purposes," he said calmly.

"You could say I'm doing the same, then," Choromatsu retorted. "Don't hurt him."

Matsuyo, who was standing behind him, looked conflicted, but walked up to the man, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Let them speak freely," she said.

The angel didn't move his gaze for several long seconds, but then exhaled slowly, nodding to Choromatsu. The goddess lowered his hand hesitantly. The angel did the same. Osomatsu stood frozen in a defensive position, his tail flicking nervously.

"We good?" he said after a few seconds. "Wanna let me help you now?"

"Depends if we end up believing you or not," said the angel, as Choromatsu walked up to Osomatsu. "For all we know, you're just a spy for this so-called new king of Hell, if there even is-" He stopped mid-sentence, as his attention shifted to Choromatsu. "You…" he said, voice faint. His eyes flickered between them again. "How did you find him?"

Osomatsu and Choromatsu looked to each other, and both of them looked just as clueless as the other.

"What?" Osomatsu said. "He didn't find me. I found him."

The angel narrowed his eyes. " _How?_ " he growled.

Osomatsu scoffed. "Why does it matter, so suddenly?" he demanded, putting his hands on his hips. "I was sent to kill him."

The two angels stared at him, before exchanging bewildered looks. Then, it was Matsuyo's turn to speak: "Osomatsu," she said. "What is your connection with Choromatsu?"

Jyushimatsu saw Choromatsu flinch a little, probably because he didn't expect them to know his name. He'd never known the Heavens, but the Heavens had probably always known him.

"I literally just told you," Osomatsu said. "I was sent to kill him. When I didn't, I accidentally put his life in danger by potentially leading enemies to his lake, so I had to take him with me. To save him. I guessed you'd rather see him here, out of his lake but alive, than still in it, dead. I least I hope that's your preference."

Matsuyo looked at him in utter bafflement. "Of… of course it is," she said.

"You left your lake," the first angel said. "It will be brought to the Great Council."

"Oh, give me a break-"

"Osomatsu," Choromatsu interrupted. "They're right. I don't know exactly why, but there was a feeling that kept me in that lake for all those years. A feeling which told me that that was where I should be. I have broken the rules, and I'll have to pay for this like anyone else."

"And what? They'll break your wing too?" Osomatsu spat. He took a step forward toward the angel, but stopped when Choromatsu put a hand on his shoulder. He pointed to Jyushimatsu. "Fix him."

Jyushimatsu felt the unknown need to make himself as small as possible when the angels' eyes fixed on him. Matsuyo's eyes widened.

"Jyushimatsu," she gasped. "You- Your wing."

"Yeah, his wing!" Osomatsu snapped. "You broke it! What kind of punishment is that? You're literally just as bad as Hell, yet you still set yourself on a pedestal like some kind of fucking-" He gasped, and brought his hands to his throat. Choromatsu jumped, then grabbed Osomatsu's shoulders worriedly. Jyushimatsu started walking towards them, but Ichimatsu took a hold of his arm. He sent his brother an anxious look, but Ichimatsu just shook his head.

Osomatsu gasped again, desperately this time, then started coughing violently.

"Speak only when spoken to, from now on," the angel said.

"Afraid of… hearing the hard truth?" the devil rasped, before groaning in discomfort.

Jyushimatsu watched as Choromatsu straightened his back, looking straight at the angel in front of him. He took a step forward, obviously not minding personal space anymore. "What is an angel to a _megami_?" he asked, dangerously calm. "Stop. Hurting. Him."

The temperature dropped. It was just like that time Osomatsu tortured the demon in the church's basement.

Then, Karamatsu walked past him. He strode over to them, confidence in his step. "Friends," he started. "Sorry to interrupt, but this isn't getting us anywhere. Osomatsu, please behave. We have some disagreements here, but it was your idea to bring the angels here to talk to them about our mission. This is my house, so I'd rather not have any violence. I realize you are ethereal beings, but while we are here, we follow _my_ rules. Do you understand me? Choromatsu?"

Choromatsu barely moved his head, but took a step back after a few seconds. Osomatsu straightened his back slowly, sending the angel a stare worthy as replacement for an actual physical attack. Matsuyo was smiling amusedly.

"Good," Karamatsu said. "Now, if you will, you can follow me into the living room, then we can discuss this over a cup of tea, like normal, respectable adults." He turned around, promptly walking away from them. The moment they couldn't see his face anymore, he sent Ichimatsu and Jyushimatsu a panicked look, as if asking: " _What kind of people have I been worshipping my whole life_?"

Jyushimatsu smiled apologetically, before finally walking over to the others. "Come on!" he said. "Karamatsu-niisan makes the best tea! Let's go inside!"

Matsuyo smiled, putting her hand on her partners shoulder again. "Do as he says," she said. "Be nice."

"Choromatsu, Osomatsu," Jyushimatsu said, taking them by their arms. "Come on!" Then he dragged them with him without waiting for their responses. The angels followed a few meters behind them.

Three minutes later, they were all seated around the dining table. The tension was suffocating. Karamatsu came out with a silver plate, and on it was a fancy porcelain tea set he'd been bragging about. He gave them a cup each, then started going around to pour them the tea.

"Fuck, I can't do this," Osomatsu said, dragging a hand through his hair. "Can we just get this over with? I haven't been this bored since the last meeting. Not yours, Karamatsu, that was, uh, interesting. I was talking about Tougou's church. Which I am not a part of anymore, by the way." He pointed at the mean angel.

Matsuyo folded her hands, leaning her elbows on the table. "Please tell us your story, Osomatsu," she said kindly. Jyushimatsu felt warm.

Osomatsu blinked, clearly not ready for that kind of response. "Uh," he started, his eyes flickering around for a moment. "Well … You've heard this from Ichimatsu, probably, but Tougou… my, uh…" He cleared his throat. "father… has been preaching about taking over the Surface for a _long_ time now, and so did his parents before him, and their parents again, yadda, yadda, you get the idea. So, since it has been talked about for so long, I sort of didn't take it as seriously as I should have. So … Do I have to tell you every detail to gain your trust, or can I leave out the mushy, personal parts?"

Choromatsu pressed his lips together. Jyushimatsu wasn't sure if the goddess was exasperated or amused.

"You can tell us the parts you're comfortable with first, and then I'll ask you for further information if there are some parts that are unclear," Matsuyo offered, putting a slight weight on _I'll,_ which made the other angel send her a narrow look. She paid no mind.

"Okay…" Osomatsu said slowly. He took a deep breath. "Tougou used to send me on missions to kill angels. That has never been fun for me, so I've just pretended that I'm horrible at that, failing all my missions. The last mission he sent me on was to kill Choromatsu, which I didn't do, obviously. Right before he did that, he told me he was planning to start a revolution. I thought he would be killed, and since I'm his son, I tried to escape, because Lucifer would probably kill me too if… Anyway, so obviously he somehow succeeded in his plan, so when I came back, he noticed that I had been hanging out with Choromatsu, because he healed my foot earlier at the lake. And that is against the law, so I was sentenced to death, but I managed to escape, using Teleportation Gems. I know Tougou is building an army, and planning strategies to take over the Surface. He'll probably start by sending out more demons to take people's souls, if I know him well enough. He's always been sneaky like that. Anyway, so I tried finding Choromatsu to make him send you this message. Turns out he couldn't because he was bound to that stupid lake, and he didn't dare to see you, in case you would punish him." He stopped to give them both pointed looks.

"Osomatsu…" Choromatsu mumbled quietly beside him.

Osomatsu turned to him, sending him a lopsided smile, before turning his attention back to the angels. "Then, of course, I got people looking for me. They knew the last place I had been: At Choromatsu's lake. So they'd probably come there, making it unsafe for Choromatsu. I convinced him to come with me. On my way to him, I bumped into Karamatsu, who patched me up, because Tougou broke my leg and everything. I also met Ichimatsu there, who was a human at the time. I, uh … As ironic as it is, I found a home in Karamatsu's church, although I…" He glanced at Karamatsu. "Don't get me wrong – I feel as comfortable there as I could ever feel. But I still am what I am. I'm not supposed to be there."

Karamatsu gave a quiet laugh. "I understand, Osomatsu," he said. "I'm glad you feel that way, though."

Osomatsu smiled back at him, before looking away sadly. Jyushimatsu tilted his head to the side in puzzlement. "When I came back to the church, Jyushimatsu was suddenly there," he said, grinning at him. "I don't even know how he got there, but I sure was nervous around him for a while. Not anymore, though, of course."

"Me neither!" Jyushimatsu sounded, beaming back at him.

"Then my brother, Todomatsu, showed up when we tried capturing a demon to torture, to get information from him," Osomatsu continued. "My plans rarely work out, so I'd probably be dead now if it wasn't for him. Right now, he's in Hell, playing spy for us." He swallowed, folding his hands. "To check up on what Tougou's doing. We didn't know when you'd get back, and he figured we couldn't just stay here twiddling thumbs. Uh, so that's about it. Ichimatsu becoming a Reaper is really none of my business."

Matsuyo looked at him, then at her partner, then back at Osomatsu. "I…" she started, uncertainty in her voice.

"We all trust him," Choromatsu said. "We didn't at first. None of us did. But he has no reason to lie. If you do prepare for a war, you won't lose anything but energy. If Tougou takes over the Surface, he won't have anywhere else to go either. He will be killed, so if you think it's implausible that he's doing this for selfless reasons, then there's the egoistic one for you. What else do you need?"

"Couldn't the reason to lie be to make the Heavens nervous and jumpy and disorganized, to make us unprepared for an attack?" the mean angel asked.

"I literally just told you to prepare for an attack. How the hell can you be unprepared for an attack if you prepare for an attack?" Osomatsu scoffed exasperatedly. "Look, as we speak, Tougou is gaining more power. He's probably already started attacking people all over the world. Time moves faster in Hell, so we have to act quickly. We've already wasted so much time because you guys are really hard to get to. Like, Jyushimatsu tried fucking warning you, but all you did was break his wing!"

"About that," Ichimatsu said. He was at the far end of the table, staring at the mean angel, with a death stare worthy of a Reaper. "I'm still not done with that. Now you've heard the story, so I won't leave this topic alone any longer. You broke my brother's wing. Fix it."

The angel stared at him coolly. "Criminals get punished," he said. "That's just the way it is."

"Don't you think _I'm_ aware of that?" Ichimatsu snapped, standing up. "I killed a guy, and I got kicked out of the Heavens for it, and that's fair enough! But Jyushimatsu was only worried about me. He was doing his fucking job, by guarding me-"

"He was ignoring protocol," the angel argued. "Besides, he's not suited for being a guardian-"

"And you think breaking his wing is a fair punishment for that?" Ichimatsu slammed his fist on the table. Jyushimatsu swallowed, tapping his fingers nervously on his knee. "You _know_ how bad it is to break your wings. It's everyone's worst nightmare. And he was only trying to fucking help. So _fix his damn wing._ "

"Ichimatsu," Matsuyo said, standing up. She glanced nervously at her partner. "I… I agree with you. But we weren't the ones who inflicted the curse upon him. We can't fix it right away, but I'll try to speak with the Council."

"Matsuyo-" the other angel started sternly, but she held up a hand to silence him.

"Jyushimatsu," she said, turning to him. "My dear. You deserve your wings more than anyone."

Jyushimatsu couldn't answer. He stared back at her, smiled widely, but his throat hurt, and the back of his eyes stung. Ichimatsu walked away from the table, and started walking around the living room, probably to calm himself down.

"Good," Osomatsu said, smiling warmly at Jyushimatsu. Then he looked at Matsuyo. "Thanks. I like you."

Matsuyo laughed softly. "Thank you, Osomatsu," she said. "I think I like you too."

"Well. Probably not." He shrugged. "So, what more do you need? That's my story. I have nothing left to say."

"We need further proof," the mean angel said.

Osomatsu rolled his eyes. "Like what? Do you want to see me kill a demon or something?" he asked. "I could probably find that other guy's decaying body if you want."

The angel only scowled at him.

"Karamatsu," Ichimatsu suddenly said from the other side of the living room. He was standing by a bookshelf, staring intently at something in his hands. He quickly walked back to the table.

"What is it, brother?" Karamatsu asked.

"Are these your parents?"

Jyushimatsu stretched his neck to see what he was holding: A dusty photograph, looking like it hadn't been touched in years. But still, he could barely make out what was on it – a picture of young Karamatsu, along with a couple standing on each side of him. They were all smiling brightly, Karamatsu's grin mirroring the woman's.

"Oh- Uh, yes. Yes, that's my parents," Karamatsu said, voice noticeably quieter. "I thought I'd put that picture away. Where did you find it?"

"On the shelf, but that's not important," Ichimatsu said. "I think-"

"Is that the Matsunos?" Matsuyo asked, sending Karamatsu a shocked look. "Your parents were the Matsunos?"

Karamatsu's mouth fell open. "You know them too?"

" _Know them?_ " Matsuyo shook her head. "They're famous in the Heavens. Everyone was grieving when they passed. Such a horrible fate they suffered."

Karamatsu stood up. "Do you know what happened to them? I refuse to believe that they both went crazy. There were demons involved, weren't there?" he demanded.

"Oh, my child," Matsuyo said sadly. "How long have you gone wondering about this? Of course they didn't go crazy. They were such a big threat against Hell, so much that the demons went to direct attack on them. They somehow managed to possess your mother, and pretended everything went as planned. But when they got home, the demon killed your father, then your mother. Nobody even knows where their souls went, but we know for sure that they are in Hell somewhere. The demons took them."

"That's what I'm trying to tell you," Ichimatsu said. "When I was in Hell with Todomatsu, I saw them. Their souls. They're in the Fields of Punishment."

The table went quiet. Karamatsu stared at Ichimatsu, looking like he wasn't sure if he was awake or not.

"N- No… Are you sure?" he asked. His voice was so thin, it was almost a whisper. Ichimatsu only nodded, without a single trace of uncertainty. Karamatsu looked to Matsuyo. "Please," he said. "Please tell me there's a way to save them. They can't be there forever. If… If they've been there for ten years already- Oh God, how long is that in Hell? Please, is there not a way?"

Matsuyo lowered her gaze. "I'm sorry, there's nothing we can do," she said, folding her hands. "We can't go down there. Besides, the only ones who can release souls from the Fields of Punishment are devils."

The room went quiet again, as everyone's eyes fixed on Osomatsu. He was sitting there, so stiff he almost looked like a statue. He opened his mouth, but no words got out. His lip quivered a little. "I…" he started. "I'll probably be killed if I go back."

Jyushimatsu noticed Choromatsu then: He was sitting beside Osomatsu, staring at him worriedly. He looked like he was about to cry, and not because of the tragedy that was Karamatsu's parents. Jyushimatsu realized that because of the soul binding, he was feeling Osomatsu's emotions right now. So what was it? Fear? It would make sense.

"But…" Osomatsu said hoarsely, but cleared his throat. He took a deep breath. "I'll do it."

"Osomatsu," Choromatsu immediately said. "Are you sure about this?"

Osomatsu turned to him, giving him a strained smile. He ruffled his hair lightly, then stood up. "It's okay," he said. "I'll do a dangerous, good deed, and that should be enough to convince you guys, right?" He looked at the two angels. "And if I die, you have to do as I've told you. Or not, I mean… That's your problem, then. I'll be dead, so." He shrugged.

"Osomatsu," Karamatsu whispered, walking hurriedly around the table. "Thank you. Thank you so much." He threw himself at him, hugging him tightly. Osomatsu stumbled a little, looking completely overwhelmed, before hugging him back awkwardly.

"Please don't thank me," he mumbled, almost inaudibly.

Jyushimatsu pretended he didn't understand what was going on.

Osomatsu stood in the middle of the garden, in front of the two angels. He didn't feel the anger from before anymore. Not even the fear. A different kind of fear had replaced it now.

"Your mission," the male angel said. "Is to release the Matsunos' souls from the Fields of Punishment. As we are aware of how many of Hell's rules you'll be breaking by doing that, it should be enough to convince the Council to trust you, as well as us."

The female angel sent her partner a sideways look, before she sent Osomatsu a kind smile. "I trust you, Osomatsu," she said. "At least about this."

Osomatsu nodded stiffly, feeling oddly small compared to the woman. Not in the sense that he felt weak or anything, but sort of … young. She seemed older and wiser than himself, radiating a feel of … He didn't even know. Authority? Not exactly. But he trusted her, somehow.

"So you'll be going in the meantime?" he asked. "Karamatsu probably has enough with us, so I think it would be the best for his health." He laughed half-heartedly. "Uh – No offence, you're not that bad," he added lamely.

The woman smiled amusedly. "We understand. We have other matters to attend to as well, so," she said, taking a step forward. She held out her hand. "Let's part on good terms. We will be back in a few days."

Osomatsu gave her hand a surprised look. Hesitantly, he took it, trying to hide the way his own hand was shaking. She shook it firmly, putting her other hand on top of Osomatsu's.

"Good luck, child," she said warmly.

He looked up at her again, completely bewildered by the way she was treating him, and how she was making him feel. Was this the soul binding? Was Choromatsu messing with him? But he'd promised not to do that. Then what was it?

Obviously, it seemed as if Osomatsu wasn't going to answer, because the woman just chuckled, letting go of his hand. Then she looked to the other angel, who was standing awkwardly beside her, looking like he wanted to be anywhere else but there.

Osomatsu gave him a pointed look, before reaching his hand out towards him determinately. The angel gave his hand a disgusted look, but reached out to take it anyway. He went for a light shake, but Osomatsu took his hand first, shaking it vigorously. "Nice meeting you," he said. "I'll shove my truth up your holy ass, just you wait."

The angel pulled his hand back, giving Osomatsu an incredulous look. "We'll see," he said sternly, before turning to the woman. "We're leaving."

The woman nodded, sending one last smile to Osomatsu and the rest of the group. Then, both of them started glowing. Osomatsu blinked, then clenched his eyes shut and turned around. He felt an almost uncomfortable warmth behind him, before it abruptly vanished. When he opened his eyes again, Choromatsu was standing in front of him.

"Maybe we should wait until Todomatsu comes back?" he asked. His voice was so small, Osomatsu understood he knew exactly what was going on.

He shook his head. "He'll be busted if he's with me," he said. "I can't put his life in danger like that."

"But you can put your _own_ life in danger?" Choromatsu demanded.

"I thought you liked it when I did morally good things," Osomatsu said, grinning weakly.

Choromatsu's lip quivered, and he lowered his gaze to the ground. "What about Ichimatsu?" he prompted. "You can't just go down there alone. You'll be captured. The risk is too big."

"Ichimatsu has to stay up here to receive the souls," Osomatsu said, looking over his shoulder at Ichimatsu, who was speaking quietly to Karamatsu and Jyushimatsu. Then he looked at Choromatsu for a moment, before taking a step towards him. He put his hands on his shoulders, making him look back at him. "I've escaped from Hell once, and I can do it again. Don't worry. I'll be back here in probably just a few hours, maybe even less. Depends on what kind of trouble I stumble over."

Choromatsu's eyes glimmered with stubborn tears. "Osomatsu," he said. "Are you doing this for the greater good, or for Karamatsu?"

Osomatsu blinked. Then it was his turn to look away. "Guess I could kill two birds with one stone," he mumbled. Choromatsu looked at him for a few seconds, before he closed the distance between them, circling his arms around Osomatsu. He pressed his face into Osomatsu's shoulder.

"If you die, I'll kill you," he said, voice muffled.

Osomatsu gave a laugh, hugging him back tightly. When Choromatsu started pulling back, Osomatsu stood up on his toes, pressing his lips against his forehead. "It's gonna be okay," he said, sending him what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

"What if it doesn't, though?" Choromatsu asked.

Osomatsu shuddered a little at the thought of being attacked by Tougou again. "Well," he said, shrugging. "As I said, I'd be dead, so what you do after is really none of my business, but as a good leader, I would tell you to keep doing what you have to do to stop Tougou. Besides, if I die, that's definitely proof that I was telling the truth, and then you'll have the Heavens on your side, so."

Choromatsu stared at him. "You're an idiot," he said. "You're not going to die."

"Of course not," Osomatsu said. "But before I go, you have to cut the soul binding."

"Oh, right," Choromatsu said, lifting his hand. Osomatsu took a step back.

"Is this going to be as uncomfortable as last time?" he asked wearily.

Choromatsu shook his head. "I'm freeing you, so no. It might even feel good. Besides, we'd have to do this anyway. You can't go to Hell while still being bound to me."

"Hold on," Karamatsu said, walking up to them. "If you're cutting the bond, won't that make Osomatsu visible to the demons who are looking for him again?"

"Yep," Osomatsu said, popping the P. "So I have to leave quickly after that. Luckily for you, the minute I'm in Hell again, Tougou will know, so where I was before that won't matter. They'll come after me down there."

Karamatsu pressed his lips together. "I'm sorry … I shouldn't expect you to do this," he said, looking to the ground.

"Don't do that," Osomatsu said, sharper than he'd planned. It earned him odd looks from everyone, except Choromatsu. And Jyushimatsu, but he almost always wore the same facial expression. "I mean- It's fine. It's, uh, no problem. Or, I guess it is a little… " He shook his head. "Whatever. We have to do this to save the world and everything. Let's get it over with."

Maybe this guilt thing would finally disappear.

"Okay," Choromatsu said, placing one of his hands on Osomatsu's heart, and the other on his head. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, then scrunched his face in concentration.

Osomatsu felt shivers go down his spine, and let out a breath he hadn't noticed he was holding. He closed eyes, feeling like he'd walked outside after being in a stuffy room for a long time. When the feeling faded, he opened his eyes again. Choromatsu did the same a second later.

"How do you feel?" he asked.

Osomatsu took a deep breath. "Good," he said. He was back to normal. He was, right? He turned to Karamatsu with a thoughtful look. The priest answered with a confused face. Osomatsu still felt like he was being punched in the chest. He swore loudly, making Karamatsu jump.

"Uh. Sorry?" he said.

"Don't be sorry!" Osomatsu hissed, then exhaled heavily. "Okay, I'm gonna leave. I'll be back in not so long, hopefully. Uh, Karamatsu…"

He trailed off, looking at the priest, who was still looking back at him a little bewilderedly.

"Yes, brother?" he asked when Osomatsu didn't continue.

Osomatsu opened his mouth to speak, but didn't know what to say. He glanced at Choromatsu. He was looking between them with a worried and anticipating expression. The guy really had to work on his poker face. "I'm…" he started, but didn't get any further. He grimaced. What was appropriate to say in this situation? He inhaled, and got ready to teleport instead. Smoke started appearing by his feet. He forced himself to look Karamatsu in the eyes, while the smoke swiveled around him. "S- Sorry," was all he managed to say.

Then the image of a confused Karamatsu dissolved in front of him.

His teleportation was just a little bit off. It was easier to teleport to a hot spot, somewhere a lot of demons were gathered, but he couldn't risk that now. He pulled his hoodie over his head – Karamatsu had been kind enough to try and get the blood stains off, but there were still some left. Well, at least the hoodie was red. Besides, blood splatter wasn't exactly abnormal in Hell.

He was standing in some abandoned street, but he knew there had to be people nearby. He looked around himself, expecting to see at least a few demons, but there were none. He frowned, but started walking anyway. He didn't have the time to be confused.

If he concentrated, he could feel where the Fields were closest here. He could hear the screams of the damned, which was one of the perks of being a devil. He was responsible for punishing them, so he always knew where they were. It was a low maintenance job, so he didn't really mind.

He set into a jog, knowing that Tougou probably already knew that he was there, and he didn't have much time until they came after him. The Fields weren't that far from here, and if he was lucky, he could get there getting into only a few fights.

Except… Nobody arrived. He kept jogging. Everything was disturbingly quiet. He'd expected more. He'd expected battles and blood and chaos, and he'd definitely expected demons going about their daily lives. Where was everybody? He swallowed, setting into a run instead. Somehow, the silence scared him more than the alternative.

He ran all the way to the edge of the Fields, completely bewildered as to why he hadn't seen anybody yet, and why nobody had attacked him. He was afraid it was a trap. It had to be. But he still had to go through with this. He stepped over the border and onto the barely used path. Immediately, the souls around him turned their attention to him. Several of them came at him at once, pleading for freedom, for forgiveness, for mercy, and so on.

Osomatsu didn't have the patience for that. He growled, dark smoke exploding around him. The souls scrambled away, wailing in agony. "I don't have time for you," he spat, walking over their bodies without a single trace of guilt. Gee, _finally_.

He got to an empty spot, and stopped in his tracks. He closed his eyes, and focused on the picture of Karamatsu's parents. He knew what they looked like. He knew their names. He knew their punishment.

He raised his hands, summoning their souls wordlessly. When he opened his eyes, they were standing a few meters in front of him, eyes wide open in frozen panic, but other than that, they looked empty and dead. Osomatsu could see Karamatsu's features in them both. It made him want to throw up.

He took a step towards them, clenching his teeth. The soul binding hadn't been at fault. The back of his eyes still burned at the thought of them. His breath still got caught in his throat. The heavy feeling in his chest was worse than ever. "I'm here to help," he said, knowing that they could hear and feel everything around them. "I'm setting you free. You're going to see your son again." He reached out for them, touching their shoulders. "I'm sorry," he whispered, then cut the chains binding them to the Fields. The Matsunos dissolved, leaving only a pair of glowing orbs. Then, they faded as well.

He let out a shaky sigh, looking around himself. Still no one. He took up the Teleportation Gem, still keeping watch of his surroundings, but still, nobody arrived. He couldn't see anyone in the distance either. He let the stone fall to the ground, and crushed it under his foot. As he was whisked away to the Surface again, all he saw was the damned souls, and no one else.

He appeared in Karamatsu's garden. It had started raining, but he couldn't have been gone for that long. Everyone was probably inside, doing their own thing, as nobody expected him to be back this early. He forced himself to start walking towards the veranda. He knew what was waiting for him inside. He knew there was no other way to do this but to endure and get it over with.

He tried not making any sound as he walked over the wooden floor, then slid the door open, peaking into the living room. Everyone was sitting around the salon table. Karamatsu was talking about something, Jyushimatsu was laughing loudly of whatever he'd just said, and Choromatsu was smiling in a soft but strained way, giving Osomatsu the feeling that whatever Karamatsu had said had been a little cringe worthy. Ichimatsu was quiet, staring intensely at something in front of him. Something invisible.

"Hey, guys," Osomatsu said. Everyone except Ichimatsu jumped. "How long was I gone?"

"Osomatsu," Choromatsu almost yelped, shooting up from his seat. "Uh- It's been… It's been an hour?" He sounded confused.

Osomatsu shrugged. "I'm just as surprised as you are."

Karamatsu stood up. "Did you do it?" he asked hopefully, bringing his hands together.

He swallowed. "Yeah," he said, lowering his gaze to the ground. "I did it."

"Where are they?" Karamatsu demanded.

"Here," Ichimatsu said. "They're here."

Karamatsu blinked, looking at Ichimatsu. Then he looked around himself, as if he would be able to see them if he tried hard enough. When he couldn't he looked back to Ichimatsu again. "Wh- What are they saying?" he asked weakly, voice quivering.

"They're…" Ichimatsu started. Osomatsu bit his lip when he heard his voice shake a little as well. The Reaper cleared his throat. "They need something before they move onto the other side."

"They… They need something?" Karamatsu repeated, sounding awfully disappointed. He'd probably hoped for some kind of message from them – Either about their love and affection for him, or about their career as exorcists, and what he'd inherited from that.

He heard Ichimatsu inhale. "They want you to know the truth. They want everyone to know the truth about the night they died," he said. "Osomatsu."

Osomatsu's throat closed, making him unable to breath for a moment. He hesitantly looked up. Ichimatsu was looking at him incredulously. Choromatsu looked ready to cry again. Jyushimatsu had dropped his smile, seeming strangely nervous. Karamatsu looked clueless, though a little hopeful.

"Osomatsu," he said, taking a step forward. There was a light in his eyes. "Do you know more about this? Why didn't you tell me before?"

Osomatsu stared at him. No. Why did he have to be so gullible? Why did he have to think the best of him? Why couldn't he just be weary and suspicious of him like the first time he'd been informed of his true nature?

"Brother?"

His body felt heavy. "Karamatsu…" Osomatsu started, voice soft. He averted his eyes again. His throat hurt. "You know your parents were killed by demons. They didn't go crazy. They didn't turn on each other, or anything like that. They… They were good people."

"Yes, I know that," Karamatsu said, sounding confused again.

"Well… It's a bit off from the actual truth," Osomatsu continued. His heart beat painfully in his chest. "It wasn't a demon who killed your parents. It was a devil."

Karamatsu was quiet. Osomatsu had to take a few moments, before he forced himself to look him in the eye. He was looking back at him with a sort of blank look, as if he already understood what was coming, but didn't want to believe it.

"I'm… I'm sorry, Karamatsu," Osomatsu said, his voice almost failing him. He clenched his teeth, and closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, he pretended he couldn't feel these all too human feelings.

Karamatsu shook his head slightly, and opened his mouth to say something, but Osomatsu beat him to it.

"I'm the one who killed your parents."

The room fell quiet. Karamatsu stood with his lips slightly parted, a disbelieving look in his eyes. Ichimatsu had lowered his gaze to the floor. Jyushimatsu was hiding his face with his oversized sleeves. Choromatsu looked like he was keeping it together just to keep the situation from getting any worse.

"You…" Karamatsu started, pulling his lips up into a pained smile. "S- Stop joking about that. It's not funny."

Osomatsu shook his head, forcing his voice to work properly. He didn't want to be felt sorry for. He didn't want to have anyone's sympathy, just because he couldn't hold his emotions in check. "You don't need to know the details, I think," he said quietly. "I was on a mission for Tougou. It was my last. I possessed your mother during an exorcism. You know how the story goes."

"No," Karamatsu said, voice fragile, continuously shaking his head. "Please tell me you're lying. Please, Osomatsu."

"They're ready to go now, Karamatsu," Ichimatsu murmured. "He's telling the truth."

Karamatsu looked from Osomatsu to Ichimatsu, and then towards where he was looking. "Just- Just like that?" he asked, sounding completely overwhelmed. "They're not even…" He trailed off, but they all understood what he was thinking. They really had been absent during his childhood, and they weren't any better in death.

Ichimatsu brought out his scythe, taking a hold of it after it materialized in the air in front of him. With a swift motion, he swung the scythe. There was a gust of wind, and nothing more. Ichimatsu brought a hand to his chest, a grimace on his face. "They're gone," he said quietly. Jyushimatsu ran forward to support him.

Karamatsu stood frozen for a second, before he lowered his head a little, staring at the ground as if he couldn't comprehend what had just happened. His lip quivered. Then he scrunched his face up, as the first sob racked his body.

Osomatsu didn't know what to do. He didn't want to feel sorry for him. He wanted to go back to be cold and heartless, but he'd become less of that after he stopped completing his missions. He didn't want to long after Karamatsu's acceptance. He didn't want to hurt him. If he'd known, that night ten years ago …

"Karamatsu…" he started, taking a step forward.

"Don't."

Osomatsu stopped. Karamatsu looked up. His face was already red and tear stained, but he looked at him with the sort of expression he'd never thought he'd see on him. It was anger. It was hurt. It was hate.

"You called me your brother," he said.

"I didn't know," Osomatsu said. "I swear, if- if I'd known-"

"Is this why you've been acting weird around me?" he asked, clenching his fists. "Is this why you've been helping me at all? To ease your own _guilt_?"

Osomatsu couldn't answer, because he was completely right.

Karamatsu shook his head, and tried scoffing, but it only came out as a sob. "You…" he started, but then he frowned confusedly, before his eyes widened. "Osomatsu, behind you!"

Osomatsu barely had time to react, before someone grabbed him around his throat, pulling him backwards. Everyone in the room reacted at once.

" _Osomatsu_!" Choromatsu yelled, already getting ready attack whoever was behind him. Osomatsu tried getting loose, before he suddenly felt a literal stabbing pain in his back. His breath got caught in his throat.

Dark smoke gathered rapidly by his feet. He knew what was about to happen.

"Get away from here!" was the only thing he managed to cry out, before the smoke enveloped them, and the vision of his family disappeared in front of him yet again.


	8. Chapter 8

The first thing Osomatsu noticed was the pain. It spread all the way from the top of his head to the bottom his feet repeatedly like beating waves through his body. Even so, he had to take a few moments just to gather the strength to open his eyes. When he did, it didn't do much good either way. His vision was blurry, but he could tell he was surrounded by darkness anyway, so his eyes weren't helping that much.

He tried moving his arms. At first, he thought they were the only part of his body that weren't currently aching, but quickly found that it was merely because he couldn't feel anything there at all. He lifted his head, suddenly a little worried about what he'd see when he moved his eyes to where he hoped his arms would still be, but gave a relieved sigh when he found out he'd only lost the feeling in them. They were in shackles, hanging loosely over his head. His heart sped up.

He looked down, and saw that his feet had been molded into a cement block. He clenched his teeth, and when he found the cement was completely solid, a small, frustrated and not to mention frightened whimper fell out of him.

There was a sound somewhere in the darkness, making him look up wearily. "Hello?" he said, before thinking. His voice sounded way too small to be his own. He had a suspicion that his body was freaking out, but his brain had yet to catch up, though it was just a matter of time.

"He's awake," someone said. Then there was the sound of something clicking on the ground twice, then a pair of footsteps, slowly disappearing. There was silence for several seconds, before he could hear footsteps again. This time there was only one pair. The person came closer and closer, without saying anything, making Osomatsu more and more uneasy.

"Who's there?" he demanded, wishing he didn't sound as scared as he did.

"Who do you think?"

His blood went ice cold. In that moment, his brain finally caught up with his body. Torches suddenly flared up, bathing the room in dim lighting. A few meters in front of him stood Tougou, looking way more monstrous than the last time he'd seen him. His mind went blank except for the desperate need to run away, but he couldn't. Tougou sent him a thin, triumphant smile.

"Welcome home, my son," he said. When Osomatsu didn't answer, he cocked his head to the side. "What, cat got your tongue? Say hello to your father."

A shudder went down Osomatsu's back. "Go to Hell," was all he managed to say.

Tougou scoffed. "Where do you think we are?" he asked, his smile slowly melting into a scowl. "Don't talk to me like that. Do you realize the position you're in?"

It took several seconds before his voice worked. "My arms are a bit numb. You could at least have bound me to a ch-" The pain in his body became more intense, and he gave a strangled growl, his body jerking forward.

"It's been a while since I've had to listen to that sarcasm of yours," Tougou said. "A blissful time, I must say. For years, I had to endure that, just to give you a chance. I should've given you up earlier."

Osomatsu gritted his teeth. "How horrible you must've had it," he snarled, then gave a yell as his body shuddered in pain again. "What did you do to me?" he demanded, his voice already getting raspy.

Tougou gave a short chuckle. "Being king comes with perks," he said. "I am stronger now. The people respects me, more so than they did with Lucifer. It was time for him to retire. He was always too soft hearted, in my opinion. And those who don't respect me, fear me. Everything is going just as planned."

"For now," Osomatsu said. "The Heavens has already been alerted. You'll fail, in the-" He screamed again, throwing his head backwards. When he got his breath back, Tougou was looking at him with disgust.

"I would say I can't believe you, but it isn't that surprising that you ended up betraying us all," he said. "Leaving Hell, for a goddess. Think about where you could have been, hadn't you been so foolish. You could've stood by my side, basking in glory and power. Yet, you chose to be an insufferable fault in the system. There will be some complications in my plan, because of you. Are you happy for that?"

His chest was heaving, but he still managed to send Tougou a lifeless smile. "Happier than ever," he breathed, earning himself another wave of vigorous agony, rushing violently through his body.

"Wrong answer," Tougou said.

Then he was quiet for a while, as the pain in Osomatsu's body continued to shake his body. He felt like he couldn't breathe. His mind was starting to blank, but somehow, probably because of Tougou's magic, he couldn't pass out. He couldn't relieve himself of the pain in any way. That was all he could focus on, as well as Tougou's horrible voice.

"The goddess," Tougou continued. "What is his name?"

Osomatsu sent him a scowl. "What the fuck makes you think I'd tell you that?" he snarled. "Power obviously didn't make you any smarter."

He thought he felt a few ribs crack this time. For several moments, his vision was only white. He jerked the shackles in a desperate, useless attempt to free himself, before his body slumped forward, powerless. He almost didn't catch the next thing Tougou said:

"…that you decided to go with him. He's … special, in a way," he said, sounding thoughtful. "There's something about him. Something that feels different. Almost like I've…"

Osomatsu lifted his head just enough to look at him through his sweat beaded bangs. "You don't know him," he said hoarsely. "Stop talking about him like you do."

"I think I know more about him than you do," he said, grinning as he took a step forward. "I think I know more about him than he does himself."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Osomatsu spat.

"It doesn't matter," he said, walking up to him. He lifted his hand towards Osomatsu's face, and when he jerked his head away, he grasped his chin harshly, forcing their eyes to meet. "What does matter, for you, I guess, is that I know where he is. I know what he wants. I know what to do to make him bow down to me. And when that happens, I won't hesitate to take his life, as you should have when I sent you after him."

Fury flared up in him. "Stay away from him!" he roared. His raspy, damaged voice echoed against the stone walls.

Tougou payed no mind, but smiled in a sort of content manner. Osomatsu noted that he'd fallen further into the demonic part of him at the threat, which naturally was what Tougou wanted from him. Yet, he couldn't bring himself to turn back into looking human. He was too scared.

Tougou clicked his tongue. "You know I can't promise that," he said, letting go of his chin. He put his hands on his back and started walking casually away from him. "It's almost too bad you won't be around to see it. Your execution has of course already been arranged. It's to take place in two days, so that the two of us can have some quality time together before the big event."

Osomatsu felt cold. He didn't want to die, but he wasn't going to let Tougou have the satisfaction of seeing him fear for his life. He clenched his jaw. "Even if I die, the Heavens will still be stronger than you. You're doomed to fail."

"Learn from your mistakes for once, Osomatsu," Tougou said, then lifted his arm towards him. Osomatsu gasped, before a broken scream split the air, making his throat ache. "You've always underestimated me. You did it before, and you're still doing it. What's going to happen is that I turn the Surface into the new Hell. Then we go to war to the Heavens – Even if they're supposed to be stronger than us, they can't win against both Hell and the Surface. Besides, without the Surface, they don't have a reason to exist. And when that happens, you'll be dead. You'll be dead, and so will all your new little friends. The goddess, the priest," He said the word with disgust in his voice. "…the angel, and whatever other God worshippers you've somehow managed to mingle with."

He looked at him, a calculating, ice cold look in his face. "Now be quiet," he said. A smile etched itself across his face. "I've waited for this a long time."

Then, pain exploded inside of him. He barely heard himself cry out, before his vision went white, and a ringing in his ears made him deaf to his surroundings.

All he heard was a looming voice in the back of his head … He couldn't tell what it was saying. Maybe it was Tougou, chanting something that would eventually kill him. He couldn't focus long enough to tell. But he thought he heard one word: Waiting.

Then his body slumped forward, and the sweet embrace of unconsciousness welcomed him.

"No!"

Choromatsu's desperate outcry was the last thing they heard before the room lied in silence. Where Osomatsu had stood seconds ago, were nothing but the curtains fluttering softly in the wind coming from the open veranda door. Karamatsu watched, body stiff, unable to react, as Choromatsu walked over to where he'd disappeared, as if he would find a trail leading to where he was.

Choromatsu breathed rapidly, looking around himself with a frantic look in his eyes, before turning to the others again. "We- We have to-" he started, but didn't seem like he even knew what they had to do. He brought his hands to his face, pressing them harshly again his lips.

Karamatsu didn't quite know the right thing to do with him, but he still walked up to him, putting his hands loosely on his upper arms. "Choromatsu," he said softly. The goddess wordlessly leaned into his embrace, standing crouched over with his face, still hidden in his hands, pressed against Karamatsu's shoulder.

Except from a soft "Choromatsu-niisan" coming from Jyushimatsu, the other two remained silent as Choromatsu's body shook, both from sobs and from clean panic. Karamatsu stroked his back the best he could, with the wings being there, but it only took him exactly six seconds before he straightened his back again.

"There must be something we can do," he said, his voice quivering noticeably. He didn't bother to hide that he was crying. "What- What if-"

"No," Karamatsu said, surprising even himself at the solidity of his voice. Choromatsu blinked at him like he'd just told him he weren't actually a priest, and that he'd actually been Hell's follower since the beginning. Karamatsu clenched his jaw. "We have to move."

Choromatsu stared at him, then took a step backwards. "What?" he said. "No, we- we have to figure out a way to save him. We don't have much time, down there-"

"He told us to get away," Karamatsu interrupted, straightening his back. It was hard pretending to be tough when his eyes still stung and his heart still beat viciously against his ribs. "The demons know where we are. We have to move, and you know it. You can't let your emotions get in the way of your logic, Choromatsu."

Choromatsu looked like he wanted to protest, but Karamatsu turned away from him. "I know somewhere we can stay," he said, heading towards his bedroom. "Just until we figure something else out. I have to go pack some belongings here, and in the church. We'll be going in ten minutes." He stopped by the table, looking down at the photograph of his parents still lying there. He reached for it, but stopped before touching it.

They'd left. They'd told him someone he'd finally stopped fearing, someone he finally managed to trust, someone he'd thought was his friend, his … brother … was their murderer. Then they'd left, without saying good bye. Without saying they were sorry. Without saying they loved him. He gave a quiet scoff as his vision blurred again, and he walked away from the photograph, avoiding the looks everyone in the room was giving him.

In his bedroom, he reached under his bed, pulling out a trunk. He brought his phone up, typing a number on it before putting it between his ear and his shoulder. He started packing his belongings as he waited for an answer.

"Hello?" the phone sounded.

"Matsuzo. This is Karamatsu," he said. "Sorry for this late notice. I need you to do me a favor."

"Karamatsu? It's been years, how are-"

"Sorry, I don't have the time for small talk," he said, throwing clothes into his trunk. "Me and… some friends are in desperate need for a place to stay. Can we please stay with you?"

"W- Well, I guess … What's going on?"

"Thank you," he said, not bothering to try and explain himself around the matter, without actually lying about anything. "We'll be there later this evening. Also, uh … I've told you that I'm a priest, right?"

"You've told me that more than you've told me anything."

Karamatsu gave a short laugh. "Right, well … You should probably keep my belief in mind. Please don't freak out when we arrive." Then he ended the call, shoving the phone back in his pocket. He locked the trunk, then pulled it out into the living room again. "Let's go," he said.

Ichimatsu looked surprised, but followed him almost immediately. Jyushimatsu trailed after his brother. Choromatsu looked torn, staring at the place Osomatsu had disappeared.

"Choromatsu," Karamatsu said. "The longer we stay here, the longer until we can find time to figure out how to help him. We have to go."

He stared at him, a forlorn look in his eyes. "Karamatsu…" he started, but didn't seem to know what he was going to say. Instead, he nodded stiffly, then followed him to the front door.

The short trip to the church was spent in silence, except for a few sniffles coming from Karamatsu now and then – Crying always left him feeling like he'd caught a cold. Choromatsu was almost vibrating in his seat. It was only around six o'clock in the evening, but nobody had the energy or motivation to try to hide the fact that a local priest was driving around with two Heavenly beings and a Reaper.

He parked right outside the church, with a promise of being back in only a few minutes. When he got out of the car, he looked up to the tower of his church. He noticed how powerful the cross loomed up there, with the fiery red sunset sky burning behind it. Yet it didn't awake the usual emotions as before. Right now all he felt was fear, and sorrow. He felt betrayed. He felt used.

He unlocked the gates, but when he tried unlocking the doors, he found that they was already open. Weird. He'd never forgotten to lock them before.

He walked into the nave, quickly setting his course towards the basement. He just had to get the documents from his parents. There was no way he'd leave them behind, even if the thought of his parents made him feel like he was going to throw up. Too much useful information. He couldn't risk losing that.

He walked quickly down the stairs, then pushed the door to Ichimatsu's old bedroom open. He walked over to the closet, and was about to open it when he suddenly heard something weird. Was that … footsteps?

He glanced wearily around himself, walking closer to the closet. He strained his ears, but then, instead of hearing footsteps, he heard something else.

Voices. Distant, yet forceful voices, and many of them as well. They were yelling something. It was coming from outside the church. And now that he focused, he noticed something other than just what his ears were picking up – His nose had previously been stuffy due to the crying, but was it just him, or did the church smell a little odd?

He sniffed the air.

That smell… Gasoline.

Just as that dawned on him, there was a thundering roar coming from upstairs. Then the door to the bedroom slammed open, revealing an elderly man standing there with a lit match in his hand. He sent Karamatsu a look that could only be described as insane, mixed with a dose of fear. "May God condemn you, Devil worshipper," he said. Karamatsu jerked forward desperately as the man dropped the match to the ground.

Flames erupted in the room, taking the man with it. He screamed, staggering backwards. Karamatsu backed up against the closet. He watched in frozen shock as flames rapidly spread across the floor, on Ichimatsu's bed, up the walls, licking the roof. He scrambled away, crashing into the corner of the room in a desperate attempt to avoid the ruthless fire.

This was it, he thought.

Devil worshipper.

This was how he'd die – With a bunch of people thinking he was in cahoots with the demons. That's what he got for trying to see the good in everyone. Even his parents' murderer.

He started coughing as smoke entered his lungs. His eyes welled up with tears. He tried breathing through the fabric of his hoodie, but it didn't help much. He was just about to close his eyes, simply accepting whatever fate God had planned out for him, but just then a shadow appeared in front of him. His first thought was that it was another demon, but as the figure came closer, its face became apparent.

"Don't just stand there, Shittymatsu," Ichimatsu said, grabbing his upper arm. "We have to go now."

Karamatsu opened his eyes to express his gratitude, but then remembered what he'd come here for. He looked to the closet on the other side of the room. It stood in flames, burning up what was left of his parents' legacy. "The documents…" he rasped.

"They're gone," he said. "Hold on to me."

Karamatsu did as he said, grabbing onto the fabric of his dark robe. The burning room dissolved around him, and the next thing he knew was that he was standing on the street outside the church again, crouched behind the car. Around the church stood a whole crowd of people, yelling in unison to what some guy standing above them all was preaching. He couldn't exactly catch on on what they were saying, but he got the idea: He was a Devil worshipper. They wanted him and his church gone.

"Can't they see us?" he said, but his voice was still raspy from the smoke. Jyushimatsu appeared beside him.

"Protection spell," he said. "Let's go." He pulled Karamatsu up, nearly throwing him into the driver's seat again.

The doors seemingly opened by themselves, and when they all slammed shut, the forms of Ichimatsu, Choromatsu and Jyushimatsu appeared in the car. He started the engine, but looked out the window, seeing the flames devour his beloved church at a horrifying speed.

"Why aren't anyone coming?" he whispered. "Why are they … What's wrong with them?"

"Tougou has attacked the town, Karamatsu," Ichimatsu said. "Everyone has gone mad. We have to leave."

"But the church-"

"Go!"

Karamatsu jumped at his tone, but did as he said. The wheels screeched as they stormed down the road. He tried not looking in the mirror as they drove away.

An ice cold sensation brought him back to reality. For a millisecond, he thought the water being thrown at him would etch into his skin, but then he realized it was just normal, cold water. He gasped, then coughed when his throat protested.

"We're not done," Tougou said. "You don't get the privilege of sleep. Not until two days, at least. Then you'll sleep forever."

"Always fond of those cheesy villainy lines, aren't you?" Osomatsu murmured, forcing himself to look back at him. Holding his head up was difficult.

"Careful, now," Tougou said. "Or I might have to change that water into holy water."

Osomatsu narrowed his eyes. "You can't do that," he said. "Only a holy being can…" He trailed off as a prickling sensation came across him, itching all over his body. It didn't take long until the sensation became painful, and he gave a yelp, squirming helplessly in the shackles. Refusing to give Tougou the satisfaction of making him beg for mercy, the stinging only became worse and worse, and the sizzling sound of skin etching accompanied his whimpers.

"The second I held Lucifer's staff in my hand –" Tougou said. "I felt new power swell inside me. This isn't just the usual magic we devils are born with, no. It's something more. Something holy."

Osomatsu gritted his teeth, spitting out his next words: "Those aren't your powers! It's Lucifer's, you fucking-" He screamed as the water etched itself further into his skin, quicker and fiercer than before.

"You don't know what you're talking about," Tougou growled. "Lucifer is dead. There's nothing that is his anymore."

He's lying.

Osomatsu didn't know how, but he knew. The pain made it hard to think, and he could do nothing but try to keep the sobs in, while jerking the shackles frantically, but to no avail. It felt as if the pain would never stop, and although he knew that if he waited long enough, the water would evaporate, his body begged him to ask Tougou to stop. He wasn't sure how much torture he could handle. He wasn't familiar with being on the other end of this situation.

After an excruciatingly long time, the pain eased, but it left him breathless, and his mind hazy. He hanged forward, limp like a dead man. Tougou chuckled in front of him.

"Not so big mouthed anymore now, are you?" he said smugly. "I love watching the fight in you vanish. And we're not even halfway through day one."

Osomatsu's breath was shallow. "Fuck you," he managed to mutter. "I'm not dead yet. I won't die." He wish he sounded confident, but it sounded more like a self-reassurance than a threat.

Tougou barked a laugh. "Even if you somehow managed to get out of these shackles, you wouldn't be able to escape," he said. He sounded content, as if he was about to present the result of something he'd worked hard on. "As I said, being king comes with perks. I know more about Hell now than ever, including the fact that the tunnels are not so mythical as we thought they were."

Osomatsu stopped breathing for a moment. "What?"

"You know what I'm talking about," he said. "They're impossible to find your way out of unless you know where to go. You wouldn't have the time to find the exit before we'd find you again. I have guards placed everywhere. Lucifer has been using this as a prison – a decision I can actually stand behind. I'm afraid you're trapped, no matter what clever plan you come up with."

"'Cus my plans always work out so well anyway," Osomatsu mumbled, mostly to himself. He lifted his head, looking at Tougou through half lidded eyes. He might be a fuck up, but at least he had his stubbornness. "Whatever. You won't win. I know you, and you're too stupid for that. Guess it runs in the family."

Tougou's eyes darkened. "As you wish," he said, holding out his hand. Smoke appeared around it, then materialized into something – a scourge, nicely decorated with sharp bits of metal. Osomatsu's body went cold again. "Let's go with something other than magic from now on."

Osomatsu clenched his eyes shut as Tougou lifted is arm, before he felt the scourge lash his already mutilated skin, tearing his flesh apart.

About halfway to Matsuzo's house, Choromatsu made the situation worse. He'd never thought he'd think about an angel – Ah, a goddess – in such a way, but this was an unfortunate, special situation.

"Ichimatsu," Choromatsu said. "You went to the Heavens. Why can't you go to Hell as well?"

Ichimatsu's body language suggested he was uncomfortable with that question. "There's … some things I shouldn't do as a Reaper. Somethings that just strides against my nature, maybe … maybe sort of the way you just knew your place was in the lake. I can go down there, but it's against the Ancient Laws. I could go to the Heavens because I was warning them about something that would disrupt the balance between good and evil, but I can't go there with the intention of picking one side over the other. I have to stay neutral in situations like these, because that's what death is. Neutral."

"But it's – it's for your friend!" Choromatsu protested. "How can you just- Can't you just bend the rules, just for once? How bad can it be?"

"I can't fuck up this time too, Choromatsu," Ichimatsu said gruffly. "I failed at being an angel. I failed at being human. I can't –"

"We have to get away first," Karamatsu interrupted, not liking where this conversation was heading. "Then we'll act."

"But then it might be too late!" Choromatsu cried, staring judgingly at Karamatsu.

He swallowed. "He told us to get to safety first."

"Do you actually care about him?" Choromatsu then asked, making Karamatsu stiffen. He sounded hostile. "Are you angry about what he told you? Is that why you're acting like this?"

"Choromatsu-niisan…" Jyushimatsu tried, but was promptly ignored by the goddess.

"It was years ago!" he said. "And he was under Tougou's command. He stopped doing that after that night. I know he regrets it. And he's been through too much for you to just give up on him like that, as if he's just another heartless-"

"It's not about that, Choromatsu!" Karamatsu snapped, easily making him shut up. He noted the shocked look Ichimatsu gave him. "I'm not doing this because of any of that. I'm doing this because you aren't thinking clearly, and if you did, if you managed to see through your emotions right now, you would see that this is the safest way to act in this situation right now. Yes, I'm angry with him. Of course I am angry with him! He-" He stopped, as the lump in his throat came back. He inhaled shakily. "He killed my parents," he mumbled weakly. Then he gritted his teeth. "It's a rational reason to be angry with someone, in my opinion."

Nobody said anything after that. A few minutes went by as he felt his brain turn off, tuning out the sounds around him, as his thoughts became louder and clearer. The sun disappeared behind the horizon as he drove the rest of the way without saying anything.

Karamatsu stopped the car abruptly outside Matsuzo's house. The ride had taken them about three hours. He'd noted that there'd been some conversation between the others after the argument, but he didn't remember what they'd talked about. His hands were still on the steering wheel, and the engine was still running, but now that he had to do something else than drive, which he'd mentally done on autopilot the whole time, he couldn't bring himself to move. There was too much noise in his head. Too many pictures. Too many emotions, and he didn't know how to deal with them.

"Karamatsu," Ichimatsu said quietly beside him. "Move."

Karamatsu clenched his fists around the wheel. He looked slowly to Ichimatsu. He'd brought his knees to his chest, and had his arms around his legs, staring at nothing in front of him. Although his face looked empty and tired as they often did, there were other emotions in his eyes now as well. Many of which he shared with Karamatsu: Fear, sorrow, hopelessness, anger.

Karamatsu looked away again, forcing himself to keep calm. He couldn't lose it yet.

He turned to the backseat. "Listen," he said. Jyushimatsu snapped his eyes to him, while Choromatsu just glanced at him without moving. "You have to stay in the car until I signal that you can come out. The man living here isn't …" He trailed off, not quite knowing which words to use. "… like me, I mean. He's not, you know, religious."

Jyushimatsu made an amused sound. "This will be interesting then!" he said, sounding happy considering the circumstances. He was sitting in an awkward position to keep from hurting his wing. His back was probably aching by now.

"I'll try to be quick," Karamatsu said. "Please act-"

"Karamatsu?"

He jumped, turning back around to see that a man clad in a shabby looking bathrobe and slippers had walked out onto the porch, squinting to see inside the car. He turned off the engine, then scurried out of the vehicle.

"Matsuzo," he said, walking towards him. "It's been long."

"I thought you didn't have time for small talk," Matsuzo said, giving him a confused look. "What is going on? What did you mean by what you said over the phone?"

"To be honest, I don't remember exactly what I said, because I was in a hurry. My apologies," he said, giving a quick bow. "Thank you for this. I will explain in a moment, but I need to ask you to not freak out."

"That was one of the things you said, yeah," Matsuzo said worriedly.

"Well, the thing is…" Karamatsu started, but didn't know how to continue. How could he explain something like this? If he'd been in Matsuzo's shoes right now, he would have thought himself mad. Especially since Matsuzo didn't believe in this stuff in the first place. On the other hand, he didn't have the time to be gentle about this. It was better to just let him know, as brutal as it might me. Besides, it wasn't like he would have that much of a hard time believing him when he'd see who was sitting in the car right now. Or – what, might be a better word in this case.

"Karamatsu?" Matsuzo asked, bringing him out of his thoughts.

Karamatsu took a deep breath. "I recently found out that the nun working in my church wasn't human. He's a Reaper, you see. And then I found out that what I thought was a ghost haunting my church was actually an angel watching over us. And I'm not saying that in the metaphorical sense – I mean an actual, invisible angel, who turned out to be Ichimatsu's, the nun I mean, brother. Then suddenly this guy I crashed into earlier that day bursts into the church, carrying an angel – Ah, sorry, a megami – on his back, and that guy also turned out to be a devil. No, not the Devil, but just a devil, because apparently there's more of those, not only demons. Anyway, he told me that the demons are planning to take over the Surface – I mean, the Earth. This place, that is. And we're currently on the run from said demons, because they came into my house and-"

"Karamatsu," Matsuzo interrupted, looking seriously worried now. "Are you high?"

He blinked. "Of course I'm not high!" he exclaimed. "I know this sounds crazy, but it is the truth. I can explain you the details later, but I think they are getting impatient. I told them to wait in the car."

Matsuzo looked at him for a long time, his eyebrows slowly rising. "Okay…" he said slowly, as if speaking to a child. "You … told them to wait in the car. Can you ask them to come out?"

Karamatsu fought the urge to roll his eyes. Keep calm, Karamatsu, he's just being sensible. "I can," he said. "But don't freak out. Or – You can freak out a little. I did that the first time, as well."

He then turned around, waving at the car. For a few seconds, none of them responded. He could feel Matsuzo's eyes on him. But then, Ichimatsu surprised him by being the first one out of the car. Unfortunately, he just looked like a real gloomy guy in the dim lighting. He didn't say anything, just gave Matsuzo a look, before turning around to the backseat to help Jyushimatsu out.

"That's Ichimatsu," Karamatsu muttered. "The nun I was talking about. The Reaper."

"Ah…" Matsuzo said.

"Please don't be like that," Karamatsu said. "Have some faith."

"Sorry, it's just …" Matsuzo shifted his weight from foot to foot. "I've never been much of a religious person."

"Well. You will be."

Jyushimatsu made his appearance. It still pained Karamatsu to see the careful way he was moving. His wing was still firmly tied to his back, and he made a grimace as he stepped out of the car, even with Ichimatsu's help. Karamatsu knew Ichimatsu to be an intense, sometimes a little violent, character, but when it came to his brother, his touch was gentle, and feather light. Jyushimatsu stretched his back carefully, and with it his healthy wing. It rose into the air, its feathers glowing slightly in the darkness. In this lighting, the halo above his head was also just visible.

Karamatsu glanced at Matsuzo. "Are … Are you freaking out?" he asked quietly.

"Uh," Matsuzo said, blinking at the sight before him. Knowing human nature, his brain had probably already figured out some logical excuse for this. "That sure is… something …"

Choromatsu stepped out of the car then as well. He looked incredibly uncomfortable, holding onto the car door for dear life. "Uh…" he started, looking from one person to the other. His eyes finally landed on Matsuzo. "S- Sorry for… If we're being a nuisance."

"Don't mention it," Matsuzo said, and although he sounded more pulled together than Karamatsu had expected, he still said it in a way that made it sound more like a question than a reply. He made a weird noise in the back of his throat when Choromatsu came closer. Karamatsu barely noticed it anymore, but the goddess had an aura around him that oozed of something heavenly. You didn't need to be religious to see that. And then he also had the same glow around him as Jyushimatsu did, if not even brighter.

Choromatsu cleared his throat. "I'm Choromatsu," he said, obviously straining himself to sound like he wasn't currently having the worst day of his life. "And that's –"

"Jyushimatsu!" Jyushimatsu exclaimed, walking up to the porch as well, with Ichimatsu on his tail. Even with a handicap, he still had a sort of bounce in his step somehow. "And this is my brother, Ichimatsu!"

Matsuzo stood with his mouth hanging open at this point. "T- Wha- Ho- Ah…" he said gracefully, looking from one ethereal being to another. He cleared his throat. "I, uh, I'm Matsuzo."

Karamatsu bit his lip, then put a gentle hand on Matsuzo's shoulder. "My friend," he started. Matsuzo looked at him blankly. "Let's go inside, and I'll explain to you what's going on. Don't you think?"

It took a few seconds before he answered. "Uh … Yeah, sure. Make yourself at home," he said, sounding a bit absent, and also suspicious, as if he was still struggling to find a way to understand what was going on, without stepping out of the boundaries of his prior knowledge. He turned around, walking into the house again.

The rest of them exchanged worried looks.

"Is this … Is this such a good idea?" Choromatsu asked softly. Karamatsu noticed he'd calmed down since the argument, and that he regretted it. His withdrawn behavior revealed that.

Karamatsu shrugged. "He was the only one I could think of," he said. "He'll come around."

"You sure?" Ichimatsu muttered, looking both small and uncomfortable because of the attention he'd received from Matsuzo, but also dark and dangerous in comparison with Jyushimatsu and Choromatsu. He would probably be the hardest for Matsuzo to come around to.

Jyushimatsu put his hands behind Ichimatsu and Choromatsu's backs. "Let's go inside!" he prompted, pushing them forward. "It's gonna be fine!"

Karamatsu smiled. "It's gonna be fine," he echoed, hoping Jyushimatsu's judgement was better than his own.

At first, Karamatsu had been the one to explain, but he'd quickly realized he shouldn't be the one telling him this, as the others knew more about the situation than he did. Then Choromatsu had started explaining. His tone had been gentle and kind, reminding Karamatsu that he actually was one of the heavenly beings he'd read about and heard about all his life. But as Matsuzo was still completely overwhelmed, he could see Choromatsu's patience slowly wearing out.

"So … You're saying that …" Matsuzo said. "You're a- a goddess? And you befriended a devil?"

Choromatsu gave a strained smile. "Yes," he said. "That's what I'm saying. It's what I've been saying three times now. Is that really the part of the story you're most worried about?"

"Well, I mean … It kind of goes against what I know about Christianity," Matsuzo said. "Not – Not that I know so much about it. I'm not religious."

Choromatsu stared at him. "I see," he said, the friendly tone sounding faker than ever. He kept glancing at the clock. They'd been sitting here for over an hour. Who knew how much time had passed in Hell. "You're not religious, so when I tell you that the world as you know it might change into literal Hell, you're not even a little bit worried?"

Matsuzo shifted in his seat. "It's, uh … I can't really wrap my mind around it," he said. "It's hard to belie-"

Choromatsu abruptly stood up, extending his wings almost aggressively. "Do these look fake to you?" he demanded, finally losing his last bit of patience. The desperation in him resurfaced so quickly, it couldn't have that far below the surface in the first place. Matsuzo flinched, before freezing completely.

"Choromatsu!" Karamatsu scolded.

The goddess snapped his eyes to him. "We don't have time for this nonsense!" he argued, clenching his fists by his sides. "As we speak, Osomatsu is down there, and probably has been for now … I don't even know! It could be days, for all I know! Maybe he's … He's probably …" His breaths became uneven, and he shook his head slightly. "He might already be dead," he whimpered, losing his angry stance.

Karamatsu's face softened, but before he had the chance to do anything, Jyushimatsu stood up, putting a hand on Choromatsu's shoulder.

"He's not, Choromatsu-niisan," he said seriously, but he was still smiling, even if it didn't quite reach its usual enthusiasm. "Don't think like that. We have to keep our hope. We're gonna get him back."

Choromatsu stared at him as if his words were the only thing keeping him standing. Then, he swallowed heavily, closing his eyes. A couple of tears ran down his cheeks, and he took a few calming breaths. Then he looked back at Matsuzo, who was still sitting there stiffly, obviously at loss of what to do. "I'm very sorry, Matsuzo," he said. The gentle tone was back, although it was weaker now than before. It quivered as much as his hands did. "It's … You could say it's been a long week. It was wrong of me to snap at you. You have every right to be overwhelmed. But – " He paused, glancing at the clock again. "You don't have to understand it right away. I hope you are okay with us staying here for a little while. Hopefully, we'll be gone soon."

Matsuzo opened and closed his mouth for a few moments. "It's – It's alright. I, uh … find it easier to believe for every second," he said, giving a half-hearted laugh. "I understand. You've been through a lot. You're all welcome in my house anyway, but I …" He inhaled, muttering something under his breath. Karamatsu got a sinking suspicion that the situation was finally starting to dawn on him. "I think I need a little time to adjust."

Karamatsu reached over and patted his back lightly. "So much for being a science teacher, right?" he joked, earning a weak laugh from Matsuzo.

"You were never any good in my subject," he replied. "No offence. I always thought you were a bit strange as a teenager."

Karamatsu smiled warmly at the memory of high school. Not that it had been particularly good, but Matsuzo had been one of his favorite teachers. And although he totally sucked in science class, and Matsuzo had made it clear that he could never believe in what Karamatsu did, they'd gotten along strangely well. Especially when Karamatsu wasn't able to keep any friends, because they thought he was weird, and Matsuzo hadn't had anything against Karamatsu coming to him to tell him about his troubles.

"Oh, fuck it, I can't do this." Ichimatsu abruptly stood up, drawing everyone's attention to him.

"Ichimatsu-niisan?"

Ichimatsu looked down at Jyushimatsu, then let his eyes wander to everyone in the room. When he got to Choromatsu, he straightened his back a bit, opening his mouth. "Screw the Ancient Laws. I'm going after him."

How long had it been? How long had it been now? His entire body was throbbing, stinging, aching – He didn't know if what he was hearing was real or not. His mind was so hazy. Tougou kept talking about – No, was he talking? He could hear talking. He thought he could hear talking. He couldn't open his eyes to see if he was alone or not. The pain didn't stop. It was there again and again. He couldn't muster the strength to move. His body hung limply from the shackles.

Find me.

Who was speaking?

"Who …" he tried muttering, but his voice didn't work anymore. It came out as a weak whimper. He didn't have any strength left. He didn't have any will left. How long had it been? How long until the execution? Should he be waiting for it, and not dreading it? Did he dread it? Did he welcome it?

You're not dead yet.

"I will … be …" Osomatsu whispered. He didn't know who he was talking to. He didn't even know if the voice was real. He didn't care.

Get yourself out of here.

Was it the last of his willpower begging him to not give up? It didn't feel like it. Was someone in the room? Was someone talking to him? He could lift his head, he … Maybe if he …

His lids stuck together for half a moment when he tried opening his eyes. His face felt stiff. It was probably covered in dry blood. He tried lifting his head, but only had enough strength to tilt it to the side. It gave him half a view of the room. Nobody was there.

It's useless, he thought, closed his eyes and let his head loll forward again.

You're doomed if you give up now.

Osomatsu would've sighed exasperatedly if he still had the energy. Salty water stung the wounds on his cheeks. "I can't," he muttered faintly.

Let me help you.

What?

Let me-

"My dear Osomatsu," Tougou's voice sounded. Osomatsu's heart sped up. No. No, no. Not again. No more. No more, please. "It's almost time for you to come with me, and I just received some wonderful news!" His footsteps came closer, then stopped just in front of him. "Well. They might not be as wonderful for you as for me, though."

Osomatsu didn't respond. He didn't care. Go away. Go away.

"I've been noted that you tried warning your friends to run away when I sent my soldiers after you," he said. "But … You should soon realize that I am much more dangerous than you've thought of me this whole time. The whole town is under my control. That church you've been living in – It's gone. Burnt down."

Osomatsu felt his breath leave his body. He blinked his eyes open, listening intently to what Tougou was saying.

"As well as the priest's house, of course. Think about that – All his belongings, all his memories. It's all gone. And it's your fault."

It's my fault.

"And the goddess," Tougou continued, giving an arrogant laugh. "He refused to leave. He put up a good fight, though, I must say."

Osomatsu's breath became rapid and uneven. "No," he whimpered. He didn't mean that. He couldn't.

Your strength, Osomatsu.

"Oh, yes." Tougou's voice sounded so smug. So satisfied. "I'm afraid someone finished the job for you, my son. Your megami is dead."

Let me help you.

Osomatsu couldn't breathe. He couldn't breathe. His body lurched forward as if he was about to throw up. He somehow gathered the strength to lift his head, looking Tougou in the eyes. His father was looking back at him firmly, without a hint of hesitation. He was smiling. He was laughing.

Let me in.

Something abruptly exploded inside of him, starting from the chest, and expanding out into every fiber of his body. He could hear a low, rumbling sound, and it took him a few moments to realize it was coming from himself. His body jerked forward. Tougou blinked.

"What are you –"

Osomatsu snarled as his muscles tensed, and he pulled at the shackles. Once, twice. Dust fell from the ceiling.

"Stop that!" Tougou commanded, and the confidence in his voice was fading into alarm.

The voice in his head growled. He pulled at the shackles again. Tougou lifted his arm, and he felt that same pain, but somehow, it didn't stop him. He gathered his strength, then jerked the shackles downwards one last time – and they broke. Osomatsu fell to the ground, as his feet were still molded into cement. But then, miraculously, he just knew what to do. He put his hands on the cement, and it crumbled, as if it was made of clay.

And he stood.

Tougou stared incredulously at him. "How – "

Osomatsu launched himself at him, grabbing him around the neck with a monstrous cry. Tougou gave a strangled growl as he fell backwards. Osomatsu hissed something – Something he couldn't understand, but he knew it was the words he needed. Tougou's eyes widened, before they rolled back into his head.

He wasn't dead. Osomatsu knew. He didn't have any time to lose.

He jumped up from Tougou, then sprinted out of the room. He didn't know where the strength came from. He didn't know if the boiling feeling in his whole body was painful or comfortable. All he knew was that it was a lot of it, and that his body wouldn't be able to contain it for very long. It was now or never. If he didn't get away now …

Pain shot through his body and he jerked forward again. He stumbled into a wall, struggling to stay afoot. He didn't know what was going on. It felt as if his body was crumbling, but he didn't have the time to think about it. He had to run. He had to get out of there.

He was in a tunnel. For now, there were only two ways for him to choose from. It didn't matter. He didn't know where he was going anyway. He heard footsteps coming towards him from his right – Left it was then.

And he ran.

Karamatsu felt a weird mix between relief and dread. Choromatsu turned to Ichimatsu, his expression revealing that he probably felt the same.

"Ichimatsu-" he started, but was promptly interrupted by the last-mentioned.

"Don't," he said. "I already know how you feel about this. You can pretend you don't want me to go for my own safety, but that contradicts what you said in the car. Either way, I don't care what might happen. I want to go after him."

Choromatsu bit his lip. "I wasn't myself. We don't know what will happen if you –"

"We don't have the time," Ichimatsu said. "When Todomatsu and I were in Hell, we were only away from the Surface for a few hours, but in Hell we walked for a much longer time than that. We've been stalling for too long. I'm going."

Matsuzo stared at him. "… To Hell?" he asked hesitantly.

Ichimatsu raised his eyebrows at him. "Don't believe me?" he asked.

Karamatsu could see Matsuzo flinch. After living and working with Ichimatsu for so long, he was used to it, but he could understand and relate to the way Matsuzo was reacting to him.

"Niisan, are you sure?" Jyushimatsu asked. "We don't even know what will happen!"

Ichimatsu lowered his gaze to the ground. "I'll take that risk," he said. "I'm going now."

When he started dissolving, Karamatsu's body moved on his own. Just before he disappeared completely, he launched himself forward, grabbing him around the wrist.

"Karamatsu, don't-!" he heard Choromatsu shout, but he could already feel an unknown sensation spread through his body. The world vanished around him.

For a moment, he was weightless. Then, gravity abruptly started working again, and his knees buckled beneath him as the ground reappeared. Immediately, he was met with a heat he should've been expecting, based on the stories. He slowly opened his eyes, scared of what would meet him.

What did meet him, however, was Ichimatsu's robes. He looked up to see that Ichimatsu was staring incredulously at down him.

"What are you doing?" he demanded, somehow managing to sound threating while still looking like he was about to pass out. Ah right – Teleportation through worlds was apparently exhausting. Karamatsu was impressed he even managed to remain standing – Ichimatsu certainly had some hidden determination he could present when he was in need of it.

Karamatsu stared back at him, before looking around himself. They were in the middle of some kind of town square, and there were people everywhere – People looking like Osomatsu and Todomatsu did. People with pointed tails and sharp horns sticking up from their heads and foreheads. Their sudden appearance was making people turn their head towards them. Some of them stared in awe at Ichimatsu, but then their eyes shifted. To him.

He swallowed, slowly rising to his feet. "I, uh…" he started, not quite getting his brain to function enough to form a sentence. He was too busy focusing on the demons sending him curious and often predatory looks. "I… I didn't …"

"You're an idiot," Ichimatsu said. "They can see right through you down here. They know what you are. This is the last place you should be, especially as a man of God."

"That's a human, isn't it?" someone muttered. Karamatsu flinched.

"I've made a mistake," he said.

"You think?" Ichimatsu hissed.

"I couldn't let you go alone!" Karamatsu snapped, though in a quiet way, because he was getting enough attention as it was. "What if something happened? What if whatever punishment you get for-"

Ichimatsu reached for him, pressing his palms against his lips. "Shut your mouth!" he shushed. "Don't speak so loudly."

Karamatsu sent him an exasperated look, as he had been talking quietly, but let his shoulders sink in defeat anyway. Ichimatsu removed his hand.

"I want to find him too," he whispered. "It's too dangerous to go alone."

Ichimatsu opened and closed his mouth a few times. Karamatsu had learned to recognize this as him being torn between feeling flattered, but also provoked. He'd never been good with emotions, as far as he knew. He always ended on the second option, though. "You've just made it more dangerous by being here!" he said. "Many of these demons haven't eaten in decades – Maybe even millennia! We have to-" He stopped, looking at something behind Karamatsu's shoulder.

Karamatsu was about to turn around, but then somebody did that for him, taking a hold of his shoulder and tugging it backwards. What met him was a … he thought it was a man. He was barely taller than him, and his skin had a purple-ish tinge in it. His lips, horribly chapped, were smiling, and his eyes … his eyes were red where they should have been white, and he had no irises. He was looking at him vacantly, giving the feeling of someone who'd been awake for too long. He looked at him for such a long time, Karamatsu felt as if he should start a conversation, but he just couldn't find his voice.

"Hey-" Ichimatsu started, but then the demon began talking.

"What did you do to get here?" he asked. His voice sounded like the feeling of paranoia you get when you're alone in the dark. "You have a death wish?"

Karamatsu wished he could be tougher than he was. He wished he could tell the demon to go to hell, but that would of course be useless in this situation. "N- No," he stammered.

The demon took a step forward. "You're so pure too…" he continued, sounding almost dreamy. Karamatsu pretended he couldn't see the drool almost spilling from his mouth.

"Hey!" Ichimatsu said again. The demon looked at him, and his eyes widened, as if he'd only just noticed he was there at all. "Unless you want to drop dead right here and now, I suggest you back off."

"A Reaper," he said. "What's he doing in Hell?"

Karamatsu didn't understand who he was talking to anymore, but while he was doing it, he suddenly reach forward, taking a hold Karamatsu's wrist. He gave a surprised yelp.

Ichimatsu reacted quickly, stepping forward to grab his throat, and used his other hand to hold Karamatsu's shoulder. The demon gave a choked, high pitched sound, then the slits that were his pupils rolled into the back of his head, and his body went limp. He crumpled to the ground by Ichimatsu's feet.

Karamatsu stared at the sight before him, feeling ill in his stomach. "Is… Is he dead?" he asked.

"I'm not gonna fucking help you," Ichimatsu said sharply. Karamatsu thought he was speaking to him, but then he saw that he was looking ahead of him. Speaking to what he assumed was the demon's soul. So he was dead. Ichimatsu had killed him, without hesitation.

He swallowed. Some people had stopped to look at them now, but Karamatsu thought he could see something different in their expressions. Confusion, maybe? Suspicion? Others were merely walking past them, only staring at Ichimatsu, not even glancing at Karamatsu anymore. He narrowed his eyes.

"Ichimatsu," he said. "Let go off my shoulder."

Ichimatsu sent him a weird look, but did as he said. Immediately, people started looking at him curiously again, and not only Ichimatsu. Maybe it was his imagination, but he thought he was onto something.

Karamatsu took Ichimatsu's hand.

"What are you doing?" Ichimatsu said, trying to tug his hand back, but Karamatsu didn't let go. He looked around, and as he'd expected, people were once again only staring incredulously at Ichimatsu, and only Ichimatsu.

"Do you think you touching me somehow makes me seem … neutral, or something?" he asked. "Because death is neutral, right?"

"What are you talking about?"

"They stopped looking at me like … like I'm food when you touched my shoulder," he said, then glanced down at the dead body on the ground. "Also… I presume murder isn't frowned upon here or something." He wrinkled his nose.

Ichimatsu looked around himself, and frowned in concentration. He tilted his head to the side. "You actually are observant sometimes," he said.

"Why do you sound so shocked?"

"But I think they don't notice you because when I touch you, your soul seems like it's already in somebody's possession," he said. "You look like you're already dead, in this case, I mean."

Karamatsu grimaced. "Isn't just having my own soul in my own possession good enough for them?" he asked.

"Not down here," he said. "This is why you shouldn't be here. If you're down here for too long, your soul might become reachable, and with the most desperate demons, they will try to forcibly take it from you. We should go-"

"Ichimatsu-niisan?"

Both of them jumped. Ichimatsu lifted his eyes, looking over Karamatsu's shoulder again. "T- Todomatsu," he said.

Karamatsu swirled around, just in time for Todomatsu to run past him to throw his arms around Ichimatsu. Ichimatsu stumbled a little, looking completely overwhelmed and at loss of how to react to this kind of affection.

"I was so worried," Todomatsu said. "Everyone- Everyone is talking about an execution – I didn't want to believe it, but if you're here, then…" He leaned back, looking at Ichimatsu with desperation in his eyes. "Please tell me it's a lie."

Ichimatsu avoided his gaze. "We came down here to save him."

"We?"

"That means he's alive," Karamatsu said.

Todomatsu turned to him, and his jaw dropped. "Karamatsu-niisan!" he gasped. The nickname gave him flashbacks from their training session in the church, but back then it had been used as a bait to lure him to his defeat. Apparently, Todomatsu didn't even notice. "Why are you here? I didn't even see you – How did you –" He paused looking down at Ichimatsu and Karamatsu's linked hands, then gave Ichimatsu a questioning look. The Reaper shrugged. Todomatsu looked back at Karamatsu. "You're an idiot!" he said. "You're gonna get killed down here!"

"I wanted to help," he said. "Finding Osomatsu."

Todomatsu blinked, then bit his lip. "So they've taken him," he whimpered. "It's true. Tougou is going to execute him in front of everyone."

"We have to move," Ichimatsu said. "We're attracting too much attention."

Todomatsu looked around himself, before taking Ichimatsu's wrist to drag him with him, with Karamatsu following. "This way," he said. He set into a jog, and the other two stumbled after him. Karamatsu didn't know how much time Todomatsu had spent in this same place, but he guess it was a lot. The town they were in was definitely big, but it wasn't like any town you'd see on Earth. The buildings were made by something Karamatsu weren't familiar with, and they were tangled into each other in the strangest ways. With the general hot, red color scheme that the whole town had – and as far as Karamatsu knew, the whole world down here – reminded him, regrettably, a lot about entrails. He wished he hadn't thought about that comparison.

Todomatsu lead them through a series of roads, taking sudden turns, crawling into cramped spaces, jumping over walls – Which Karamatsu had more difficulty with than the others – while often suddenly stopping, tilting his head as if he was trying to hear something. Finally, he stopped, pointing to a building looking like it was taken straight out of some dark version of a Salvador Dalí painting.

"It's abandoned," he said. "I've been staying here for the past days."

"Days!" Karamatsu yelped. "You only left this morning!"

Todomatsu shrugged. "It is as is it," he said. "Come on."

Just as they were about to enter the house, Todomatsu stopped for a moment, before solemnly shaking his head, then continued forward. "I keep thinking I can feel him," he said. "I should be able to. I've always had a connection with him, and since I was assigned the mission to search for him, I should be able to track him even easier now, but… He's completely disappeared. That's why I thought it might be a lie. I can't feel him at all down here."

"Where have you searched?" Ichimatsu asked.

"Not the whole city," he said. "The capital is very big, and we only received the news of his capture a day ago. I don't … I don't know if I'll be able to find him in time. The execution is set tomorrow morning."

Karamatsu wanted to ask how they would know when it was morning, but he decided not to. "That's not long," he said. "I… think?"

"It's not," Todomatsu said. His lip was quivering slightly. "We have to hurry. How was he even taken?"

"The demons followed him from Hell when –" Ichimatsu started, but then abruptly stopped.

"Wait – He was in Hell?" Todomatsu asked. "Why? He knew he couldn't do that!"

Ichimatsu looked at Karamatsu. Karamatsu swallowed.

"He…" he started, but his voice had suddenly become weak. He cleared his throat. "I don't know if you know, Todomatsu. Osomatsu …" He closed his eyes, trying to keep his emotions in check as he had to relive this memory again. "Osomatsu went to free my parents' souls from the Fields of Punishment, where they've been wrongfully imprisoned for ten years. Ten Earth-years, that is. Does 'the Matsuno's' ring any bells to you?"

Todomatsu blinked at him, before realization dawned on his face. "Oh …" he said. Then his face scrunched up in frustration, and he dragged a hand through his hair. "Fuck. I'm sorry, Karamatsu."

"It's not important," he said quickly, not liking the way his throat was starting to constrict. "Let's go find him already."

Todomatsu tilted his head. "You still wanna help him?" he asked. "Even after you found out what he did?"

He didn't want to talk about it. "We need him to save the Surface, right?" he asked. "He knows Tougou better than anyone, if I'm not completely wrong."

"Not even a cheesy line like 'it's the noble thing to do', wow …" Todomatsu shook his head. "You must be real hurt about this."

"Todomatsu," Ichimatsu murmured. "This is normally where you're supposed to be sympathetic."

"Oh, sorry," the demon said. He sent Karamatsu a look that mostly just said "whoops", then looked out the window. "Well. It's going to be hard. The demons will notice that we have a human with us. It's not like you can go around holding hands all the time. So, I have an idea." He turned to Karamatsu again, sending him a mischievous smile, then glanced at Ichimatsu, as if the two of them shared a secret.

"What?" Karamatsu asked.

"Oh," Ichimatsu said. He looked at Karamatsu, than back at Todomatsu. "I agree."

"What?" Karamatsu repeated.

"Karamatsu," Todomatsu said, then walked towards him with a sort of predatory stance that made him take a step back, but then Todomatsu dissolved into smoke in front of his eyes. He stumbled backwards as the smoke shot towards him, but then it was promptly shoved away from him somehow, and Todomatsu reappeared in front of him, a bewildered and almost wounded look on his face. "How did you do that?"

Karamatsu blinked. "Did wh- Are you trying to possess me?" he demanded. Todomatsu frowned, then marched towards him and took a hold of his hoodie. He pulled it up, ignoring his protests.

"Oh, I see," Todomatsu said, looking at the cross hanging around Karamatsu's neck. "Could you take that off?"

"No!" Karamatsu said incredulously, pulling his shirt down again. "I don't want you to possess me! What are you doing?"

Todomatsu gave him an exasperated look. "To hide you from the other demons, of course! They'll only see me down here, not you, remember?"

He did have a point, but Karamatsu still shook his head violently at the suggestion. The thought of actually being possessed made his skin crawl. He didn't understand how Todomatsu and Ichimatsu didn't get why, either. Of course he didn't want to be possessed. That's how his parents went, after all.

"I can't," he said. "It's impossible for me. I can't do it."

"Ichimatsu did it!" Todomatsu argued.

Karamatsu swallowed. "My parents were taken away from me because of that," he said quietly.

Todomatsu blinked. "Oh …" he said lamely. He pressed his lips together, looking to Ichimatsu for support, but he was looking down on his feet, clearly uncomfortable with the atmosphere. "Karamatsu, it's alright. I'm not going to hurt you."

"I know," he said. "It's not about that. I just… can't."

Todomatsu looked at him seriously. "We have to find Osomatsu-niisan," he said. "This is the quickest way to do it. We don't have that much time. It was your decision to come down here, and you probably knew it wouldn't be a comfortable experience. I can't think of another way to do this, now that you're already here."

"I can't teleport you back, either," Ichimatsu added. "I'm already worn out. I'll probably pass out the moment we get back to the Surface."

He shook his head. "I can't do it," he said, suddenly feeling like a burden. "I'm sorry."

Todomatsu sighed, but nodded and turned around. Karamatsu lowered his gaze to the floor. Then, before he had the time to react, Todomatsu had swung at him again, pushing him against the wall. The cross around his chest was yanked off him. Todomatsu gave a grunt as his hand started sizzling, and he threw the cross away.

"Todomatsu-" Karamatsu started, but Todomatsu pressed his palm over his lips.

"I'm sorry about this," he said, then turned into smoke. The smoke blinded him, and went into his eyes, nose and mouth. He couldn't breathe, but his body has frozen, unable to do anything to clear his airway.

And then, he could breathe again. His eyes opened by themselves. He tried speaking, but his mouth wouldn't move.

What the-

"Karamatsu." He could feel his mouth move, and his vocal cords vibrating, but it wasn't his own voice he heard. It was Todomatsu's. "I'm sorry, but as a human you can't just walk around Hell. This is the only way."

Ichimatsu was looking at him like he'd grown two heads. He guessed from his perspective, his body had just turned into Todomatsu's body. Though his bewilderedness couldn't match Karamatsu's own – It was a strange feeling. His mind was spinning, but his body didn't react to it, so it was hard for him to reach absolute panic, but he was definitely uncomfortable and scared right now.

"Please calm your thoughts," Todomatsu said. "I can't understand your feelings as much as your words. Although they often make no sense as well, when I think about it." He giggled.

It took a moment for Karamatsu to understand what he meant, but when he did, he hesitantly formed a sentence in his head, as if he was talking to someone. It's damn clear you don't understand my feelings! was that sentence. What part of 'I can't do it' do you not understand?

"Woah, are you angry?" Todomatsu asked. "I've never heard you angry before. It's a … nice change, I think. It's probably good for you to let it out sometimes."

"What's he saying?" Ichimatsu asked.

"He's upset," Todomatsu said. "Which I can understand, but we don't have the time to deal with that right now. Come on." He took Ichimatsu by the arm, leading him out of the house again.

You can't just do this! Karamatsu argued.

"Karamatsu, please. I'm a demon. I do this for a living." Todomatsu gave a sigh. "Although it's different now, since I know you. I didn't care for the others. You can freak out and call me names when we're done with this. But it'll have to wait. You want to save him, right?"

Karamatsu knew he had a point, but he was still angry about his comfort zone being ignored. Then again, him being ignored wasn't exactly new either …

Fine, he said. I'll freak out and call you names when we're done with this.

Choromatsu stood frozen with his arm stretched outwards, and his jaw hanging open. "Did he … really just …" he muttered weakly.

"Ah…" Jyushimatsu said, staring at the spot Ichimatsu and Karamatsu had disappeared. "He did."

Choromatsu closed his eyes and dragged his hand over his face. "Is he brave or just stupid?"

"Probably a good mix between both!" Jyushimatsu suggested. "Eh – Old man, are you okay?"

Matsuzo was sitting on the couch, looking like he was about to throw up. When Jyushimatsu spoke to him, he snapped his eyes to him. "Shit," he said. "Is this – This is really happening?"

Jyushimatsu gave a lighthearted laugh. "You're really slow, aren't you!"

"I …" Matsuzo looked from one to the other and then back a few times. "I have to go to the bathroom." Then he almost ran out of the room.

Choromatsu looked after him, slightly worried, but he wasn't able to focus on that at the moment. He looked to the clock again, tapping his foot impatiently. "Isn't there something we can do in the meantime?" he asked mostly to himself.

"I don't think so," Jyushimatsu said.

Choromatsu looked back at him, then frowned. "Yes, there is," he said, feeling sudden anger bubble up in him again. He could tell the stress and his impatience was effecting him, but the sudden burst of nerve didn't make him want to back down. He marched over to the front door, stepping out on the porch. It's was now pitch black outside, aside from the light from the moon. In the middle of the porch, he kneeled, folding his hands in front of his face.

Jyushimatsu trailed after him. "Choromatsu-niisan?"

He ignored him just for now, focusing on channeling his thoughts to the Heavens. Had it been this easy from the beginning, Ichimatsu wouldn't have had to be the one going up there, but Choromatsu had wanted to keep away from them in case they would either make him go back to the lake, or punish him in other ways. But then he had blown his cover pretty fast anyway. His body had just reacted instinctively when the first thing the angel had done was hurting Osomatsu.

Osomatsu …

He gritted his teeth, his anger mixing in with the otherwise not-so-polite message he was sending the Heavens right now. It wasn't like him to be like this, but he could deal with that later.

A slight warmth followed by a presence made him look up. The shimmering image of an angel stood before him, giving him one of the weirdest looks Choromatsu had ever been given. "Stand, goddess," he said, without changing his facial expression – It looked like a weird mix between curiosity, offence and … something else. "Why did you ask for help in such a …" He frowned a little. "…direct manner."

"You can say rude if you want to," Choromatsu said, feeling a violent flow of words fight their way up along with his pent up anger, crushing the wall that was his verbal filter. He stood up, looking the angel right in the eye. "It's because I'm fed up. With your rules or – however things work up there. I don't even know! I've never been there, because I've been in a lake for thousands of years, and I don't even know why! Do you know how irritating that is? Don't you think I get curious too? I've been so patient, but I'm done with that now. We've been trying to help you too, but you've been acting like stubborn children, especially for someone who's supposedly here to help!" He took a deep breath.

The angel stared at him, still with the same expression, but now with added disbelief. He took a moment to answer. "You dare speak to me and about the Heavens like that?" he asked.

"By God, yes, I do!" Choromatsu exclaimed.

"Choromatsu-niisan," Jyushimatsu said, walking up to him. "Please calm down."

He turned to him. Maybe … If Jyushimatsu was asking him to calm down, then maybe he should. Just a tad, anyway. He turned back to the other angel. "I called you down here for help. Are you still doing that? Helping people?"

The angel scowled. "Yes," he said stiffly.

Choromatsu wondered why he hadn't scared him off with his rudeness yet. Angels were usually too proud for their own good.

God – He was starting to sound like Osomatsu.

"Heal his wing," Choromatsu said, pointing to Jyushimatsu. "… Please," he added quietly.

The angel lifted his chin. "I have nothing to do with his injury, and therefore I cannot heal him either," he said. "The Heavens chose this punishment for him because he-"

"I know what he did!" Choromatsu interrupted heatedly, but paused to take a moment to breathe. "I know what he did," he repeated, calmer this time. "And we all disagree in that decision. We tried talking to the angels that were down here with us, but they said the same thing as you did. The thing is, this situation is hectic. As you might have known, the Matsuno's church has burned down, because the town has been infected with demons sent from Tougou, the new king of Hell. Do you know about this?"

"Yes," the angel said. "I also know that you've been cooperating with the son of the mentioned 'new king', if there even is such a thing."

"There is," Choromatsu said sternly. "And it probably won't take them too long until they find us again, and then Jyushimatsu can't still be injured. He will be killed."

The angel looked thoughtful for a moment, but then his face hardened again. "It is not my choice to make," he said. "And I should also say that as you've also broken the rules, multiple times already, I suggest you go back to your lake before things gets worse."

Choromatsu felt his heart hammering against his ribs. "Multiple times? What other times than leaving my lake have I broken the rules?"

"You do realize merely cooperating with a devil, much less bind your soul with him without notifying the Heavens, is a crime?" he asked. "Where is this devil anyway?"

Choromatsu clenched his jaw. "He was taken," he said. "By the demons. He might be dead, for all I know." The words stung in his throat. Jyushimatsu touched his back softly.

"He was taken by the demons," the angel repeated. "The devil was taken by the demons. Does that not at all sound suspicious to you? Ah, it doesn't matter. It is better with him out of the picture."

Choromatsu's body went rigid. "Listen," he said coldly, the fury in him now so intense he could practically feel heat radiating off his body. "First of all, he's not dead. He's been fighting for the Heavens despite not owing you anything, and you've done nothing in return but to break Jyushimatsu's wing, so I suggest that you, for once, act like the angels you're supposed to be, and help us out a little, or else you will end up dead." He put weight on the word, not once losing eye contact. "Do you understand me?"

The angel was making that weird expression again, and now, suddenly, he understood what that other thing was: Fear.

Choromatsu took a step forward, forgetting for a second that the angel was only a projection, and he couldn't actually touch him. Either way, the angel moved backwards, just enough to be noticeable. "Send the angel who did this to him here," he commanded. "And make him heal his wing."

The angel stared at him. He could see his Adam's apple bob. "You will regret this behavior," he said, but when Choromatsu scowled, he took a whole step backwards. "The angel has been noted. He will be here soon." He sent him a degrading look. "The time you spent it that lake was obviously not enough to make you right."

Choromatsu was about to ask him what he meant, but just then the angel disappeared in a flash of light, and they were once again bathing only in the faint shine of the moon.

"Choromatsu-niisan?" Jyushimatsu sounded from behind him. He sounded uncharacteristically fragile.

He turned to him, and saw that he was looking at him, anxiety and worry clear in his eyes. "What is it?" he asked.

Jyushimatsu stared, then smiled in that nervous way he always did when he wanted to lighten a heavy mood. "You should calm down a bit," he suggested carefully. "You're scaring me."

Choromatsu blinked. His heart was still hammering in his chest. His head was still fuming from stress and anger. He felt as if he could break a building down with his bare hands just to get the frustration out. His whole body prickled with electricity. And Jyushimatsu was scared of him.

He didn't understand what it was about him that was so scary, but he closed his eyes anyway, taking a deep breath. "Sorry," he said. "It's okay. I'm okay."

"You really scared that guy too!" Jyushimatsu said. "I get that – I'm glad I didn't have to see you face to face right there! Even watching your back made me want to go and hide!" He laughed, but it still sounded a little bit strained.

Choromatsu sent him a confused look. "What did I do?" he asked.

Jyushimatsu tilted his head to the side. "You don't know?"

He shook his head, and Jyushimatsu made a thoughtful sound, that turned into a light laugh. "And you've been saying that Osomatsu has to learn to control his powers! You're not so good yourself!"

"I wasn't planning on hurting him," Choromatsu said, but spotted the insecurity in his own voice. He'd taken a step towards him, forgetting that he couldn't touch him, to do… what? He tried finding back to the place in his mind he'd been when he confronted the angel – He didn't know exactly what he had been trying to do right then, but … it definitely wasn't good.

"Well," Jyushimatsu said, and shrugged with one shoulder. "It really looked like it though!"

Choromatsu grimaced. "I messed it up," he said. "I knew that if I did what I did, there would be consequences, but I didn't care. But …" He frowned. "You know what? I don't care. Not right now anyway. You can't be in bad shape if something happens."

"There!" Jyushimatsu chirped. "You look like the same, boring Choromatsu-niisan again!"

"Boring?"

"Just as it should be!"

"I'm not bo –" He stopped, and looked over Jyushimatsu's shoulder to see Matsuzo sticking his head out the front door. "Matsuzo?"

He flinched a little. "Ah, yes," he said. "I was just wondering what you were doing, and if you wanted some tea?"

Choromatsu felt a small pang of guilt. "Sure," he said, not liking how uncomfortable he looked. "Tea sounds nice. Are you okay?"

"Ah…" Matsuzo gave a laugh that sounded just a little bit hysterical. "I'm as fine as anyone could be in a situation like this. Is it wrong for me to hold onto the dreamlike feeling I have right now?

"Whatever helps you cope, I guess," Choromatsu said, wrinkling his nose. "Take your time."

Matsuzo nodded. "Will do," he said. "I'll be right back."

"Hold on –" Choromatsu said, stopping Matsuzo in his tracks. "An angel from the Heavens will be here shortly, to heal Jyushimatsu's wing. Nothing dangerous, but I thought you might want to stay inside while we talk to him."

"Ah…" Matsuzo looked nervously up into the sky. "Okay. Tell me when you're ready, then." He smiled stiffly, then disappeared into the house.

"Maybe it wasn't such a good idea coming here," Choromatsu mumbled after a few seconds.

"Karamatsu trusts him thought," Jyushimatsu said.

"Karamatsu tends to be a little too good hearted." He folded his hands, giving a sigh. "I hope he's okay."

Jyushimatsu didn't answer for a moment, but then smiled. "He probably is!" he said, even if they both knew he couldn't know that in any way. Choromatsu returned the smile, but didn't reply.

After that, they sat on the porch of a short while, as they waited for the angel to arrive. The sound of beating wings alerted them, and Choromatsu stood, then helped Jyushimatsu up. The angel landed on the porch with a soft thud.

Jyushimatsu placed himself halfway behind Choromatsu, gripping his robe.

"Fear not," the angel said. "I've come to help."

Choromatsu bit back a snarky comment. "We appreciate it," he said dryly, stepping aside to give Jyushimatsu space. He looked very uncomfortable, and it was weird seeing him like that. His smile was replaced with a sort of spaced out frown. As he walked stiffly forward, the angel came towards him as well. Choromatsu expected him to be wearing the same cold mask as the last angel, but was surprised to see that his expression carried something he'd seen an awful lot of these past few days: Guilt.

"I'm sorry about this," he said. "I have no excuse except that I was working under the command of the Council."

Jyushimatsu shook his head. "Don't worry about it!" he said, trying to reach his usual enthusiasm, but not quite getting there.

"I'm happy they let me do this," he said, giving Jyushimatsu a slight bow, before he walked around him to his injured wing. Jyushimatsu stood frozen as the angel hovered his hands over the wing and starter muttering something under his breath. His palms started glowing, the light looking more intense than it would have in daylight. Jyushimatsu inhaled shakily.

The angel then stroked his hand over the bandages, and they slid off easily, as if some invisible person was cutting them off. Jyushimatsu remained unmoving. "It's okay now," the angel said. "You can move it if you want."

Jyushimatsu glanced at him, then stretched the wing hesitantly. When he realized it actually was okay, his wing shot out, and he gave an excited laugh. "It's okay now!" he echoed, sending Choromatsu a smile at full Jyushimatsu-ness. Choromatsu couldn't help but to smile back.

Then the angel turned to him, and he suddenly felt nervous again.

"Choromatsu," he said.

"Yes," he replied, worried about what was coming. He shouldn't have talked to the other angel the way he had done. He should've asked politely. But then again, that hadn't worked last time.

But instead of telling him about the punishment he had to endure for breaking the Heavens' rules, the angel surprised him by kneeling in front of him. Choromatsu blinked, sending Jyushimatsu a bewildered look. Jyushimatsu looked just as surprised, and shrugged.

"Rumors about the war is spreading in the Heavens," he said. "The Council still denies it, but the people are aware. I just wanted to say that I'm thankful for all you've done. I'm sorry I attacked your friend. I never wanted that. Please forgive me."

Choromatsu opened and closed his mouth several times before he managed to answer. "Uh – I'm … I'm honored, but it isn't me you should ask for forgiveness," he said. The angel looked up at him, and Choromatsu nodded towards Jyushimatsu. The angel then stood up, before kneeling in front of Jyushimatsu instead.

Jyushimatsu just shook his head. "It's alright!" he said, bending down to help the angel stand again. "We all disagree with them sometimes. I know how they are, so don't worry about it!"

The angel looked relieved. "Thank you," he said. "I'll be in your debt. And Choromatsu –" He turned to him with a serious look on his face. "You should be careful about interacting with the Heavens from now on. I only hope they will realize what you've done for them, and that that will be enough for them to forget about your crimes. Scaring angels into making them do what you want isn't the way to go, even if it's the only way."

Choromatsu pouted. "I didn't mean to scare him," he said, even if it felt like a lie. He hadn't meant to want to scare him. It just happened, somehow.

The angel smiled amusedly. "You forget that you're a goddess," he said. "They reside on Earth. Most angels will never meet one, but we do hear stories. You're much stronger than we are. Anyone would be intimidated." He looked at him for a moment, tilting his head. "Also ..."

Choromatsu frowned. "Also what?"

He shook his head apologetically. "Forget it. It's classified."

"Classified?" Choromatsu echoed. "It's about me?"

"I can't say," he said. "I'm sorry. Maybe you will know when –"

Choromatsu sudden felt a creeping feeling going up his spine, and he instinctively hurled himself forward, tackling the angel to the ground while yelling "Duck!"

And then the wall beside them exploded.

Choromatsu stumbled to his feet, seeing the shadowy figures of several demons lurking in the darkness around the house. Choromatsu cursed, and turned to the angel.

"There's a human inside the house," he said. "Take him somewhere safe."

The angel nodded once, then stood up, running inside the house.

"Jyushimatsu," Choromatsu started, but the angel had disappeared. He looked around himself to see that he was already on his way to attack the demons, his body moving disturbingly quickly. The first demon was down in less than five seconds, before he moved onto the second, as if the days he'd spent unable to move had left him with too much energy, and this was the perfect moment to let it all out.

Choromatsu grimaced as he watched the demons get slaughtered down one by one, the next death more violent than the last, but it didn't take too long before Jyushimatsu also started having difficulties. Choromatsu ducked as a streak of dark energy was sent towards him, and he sent the demon who'd attacked him a scowl.

He reminded himself that Jyushimatsu wasn't the only one who needed to get out some pent up emotions, as he prepared to fight, feeling energy buzzing through his body.

Every step he took felt heavier than the last. The waves of pain had started wash over him every tenth second now, but still he somehow managed to keep himself on foot, using energy he didn't know he had, and motivation he thought he'd lost.

Sometimes he would hear voices and running footsteps from some tunnels of the labyrinth, which drove him into another direction. He didn't know where he was going. He didn't at all have a clue of how he was supposed to get out. Tougou had told him it was impossible to find the way unless you knew where it was, and he believed him. He believed everything he'd told him, even though he knew Tougou was a liar.

He believed him when he said that Choromatsu …

He choked a sob, just as another wave of stabbing pain overwhelmed him. He groaned, stumbling to his knees as he held around himself. The voice filled his head again, but he couldn't understand what it was saying anymore. It was as if the same voice was saying different things simultaneously, which just ended up sounding like gibberish. All he knew was that it definitely wasn't friendly, and he just wanted it to shut up already.

Yelling voices from down a hall made him scramble again, running into a tunnel going upwards, hoping that if it went upwards, it would eventually lead him to the exit. But he knew it wasn't that easy.

He ran until he couldn't breathe, then stopped to listen. He couldn't hear the voices anymore. Maybe he'd lost them. He started walking again, trying to find something, anything, that would give him a clue if he was close to the exit or not.

As he was closing in on another part of the labyrinth, he thought he saw something in the distance. Something that looked like light – Not daylight, since there were no such thing in Hell, but not light from torches either. He stumbled forward, hoping that it was light from the exit. A part of him thought that it was impossible, but what if it actually was the exit? What if he'd somehow managed to find it, even though Tougou had said it was impossible.

He ran forward, rounding the corner where the light was coming from. His heart skipped a beat when he heard distant voices.

Then he saw it. At the end of a long corridor was an opening, leading right into a crowded town square. He tried laughing, but his voice was too sore to come out. He ran towards it, but just when he thought he'd run into the crowd of people, he crashed into an invisible wall, sending him sprawling backwards again. He blinked, trying to look for something that would explain the barrier, like a Devil's trap or something, but he found nothing.

He stood up, and tried reaching out to the crowd, but his hand was met with a solid, cold wall, just like the rest of the labyrinth. He gritted his teeth, and hit the wall with his fists, as if he was able to break it down like that.

"Let me out," he rasped, clenching his jaw. "Let me out!"

The crowd on the other side didn't at all hear or see him. They continued walking, continued talking with each other, or doing whatever else they were doing, not ever showing any sign that they noticed him. He banged his fists on the wall desperately, before leaning his forehead against it, not bothering to hold back the sobs.

That was when he spotted them. Walking into the frame of the window, was Todomatsu and Ichimatsu, looking like they were in a hurry. Todomatsu was speaking rapidly, leaning in close to Ichimatsu, like he didn't want to be overheard by the people around them. Were they looking for him? Why else would they be down here? Osomatsu tried catching his breath as he started banging desperately on the wall again.

"Todomatsu!" he yelled, trying to keep his voice from cracking. "Ichimatsu! I'm here! I'm here!"

Todomatsu and Ichimatsu looked around themselves, and for a moment Osomatsu thought they'd heard him, but then Todomatsu took Ichimatsu's arm and started dragging him with him, away from Osomatsu's window.

"No!" he gasped, clawing at the wall. "I'm here! Don't – Don't go! I'm right here!"

They disappeared into the crowd, and Osomatsu didn't see them again. He wailed, hitting the wall repeatedly, before his knees buckled beneath him, and he slid down along the wall.

He sat on the ground, holding himself. He knew he was pathetic, but it hurt too much. He would have sat there forever, but it didn't take long before he heard someone nearing him again. He shakily got back on his feet, glanced one last time at the town square, before scurrying into the darkness of the labyrinth again.

They'd searched for hours.

Karamatsu didn't know how big the city was. He guessed it was big, since Hell apparently was ever growing, and this was the capital of it. He didn't understand how Todomatsu knew his way around, especially after he'd told him he didn't even live in the capital, since demons in training usually resided in smaller, and, in his words, dirtier parts of Hell. Karamatsu didn't want to imagine what it was like there, because the capital already reminded him of the mess Osomatsu had left in the basement after he'd killed that demon.

His feet were aching. He was breathing rapidly, or – Todomatsu was breathing rapidly. He kept complaining about Karamatsu being in bad shape, and that he would probably collapse the minute he exited his body, because he was already nearing the point where Karamatsu would've given up, had he been in control of his own body. He felt as if his legs were rotting away, but he knew they couldn't stop.

At the same time, he felt an uncertainty and growing anxiety coming from Todomatsu. He was running out of options.

"I don't understand," he said. "I should've been able to feel him. I could feel him all the way from the church to the neighboring town when I was looking for him on the Surface. This doesn't make any sense."

Ichimatsu looked helpless. "Isn't there any other place we haven't been?" he asked.

Todomatsu shrugged. "Not that I know of," he said, folding his hands nervously. Karamatsu felt a crushing wave of worry wash over him. "It isn't long until the execution. We don't have the time for this. What if … What if we don't –"

Don't think like that yet, Karamatsu said. We still have time.

Todomatsu swallowed, and nodded. "You're right, you're right," he said.

"What?" Ichimatsu asked.

"We just have to keep going," Todomatsu said. "We still have time. We still have time." He took a deep breath, and dragged a hand over his face.

"Just a question," Ichimatsu said. "Should we look in the underground tunnels here too?"

Todomatsu blinked. "What?"

"The…" Ichimatsu looked uncertain. "The underground tunnels? There's tunnels beneath the ground here?"

"Are you serious?" Todomatsu asked. "You're not talking about … Did you know about the rumor of the labyrinth? I thought that was just a story!"

Ichimatsu shrugged. "I don't know about any stories from down here, but there are definitely tunnels here," he said. "I can sense the souls down there. They've been there for a long time."

Todomatsu stepped forward, grabbing his robe. "Can you get us down there?" he asked.

Ichimatsu nodded. "It's enchanted, so it remains hidden. It's not weird that people don't know if it's real or not, because you can't just dig yourself down there either," he said. "But it's right here. I can teleport there without a problem."

"You know all this stuff, and you haven't even said anything?" Todomatsu demanded, and Karamatsu felt irritation bubbling up in him.

"I thought you knew about them as well," Ichimatsu said defensively, then hesitated. "I guess… It makes sense that you don't since it's enchanted – But I just didn't think that far."

"You didn't think – Okay, whatever," Todomatsu said, waving his hand. "Just get us down there."

Ichimatsu nodded, and grabbed Todomatsu's shoulders. Karamatsu braced himself for the weightless feeling, and luckily, Todomatsu also thought this was a fitting time to close his eyes.

The next second, the air around them changed. It became cold and stuffy, and the sounds around them was replaced by an ominous version of silence. It was so quiet, Karamatsu thought he could hear his own blood rushing in his veins.

Todomatsu gave a yelp. "He's here! He's down here!" he gasped, shaking Ichimatsu excitedly. "I can feel him now, he's –"

A wailing scream interrupted him midsentence, making them all jump. They all recognized his voice.

"Niisan," Todomatsu breathed, then set into a run, his heart beating a million times a minute.

Jyushimatsu noticed physically that it had been a while since he'd actually gotten to do what he was good at. Not just because he'd been wounded these last few days, but just in general. He'd been watching over Ichimatsu, and therefore he hadn't been assigned any missions from the Heavens, and thus, no fighting demons for him.

So this was like Christmas, except he'd never gotten presents on Christmas, but it was nice observing humans do that every year.

He sliced through the demons, triumphantly knowing that the last time he'd fought like this he'd been bound by certain rules, but now that he was free from the Heavens – more or less – he could do whatever he wanted. The thrill he felt by knowing that he'd left a trail of bodies behind him was not something an angel should feel, but he'd accepted that he was different from the others a long time ago. It was the same difference that had gotten Ichimatsu kicked out of the Heavens, and it was the same difference that would probably get him kicked out when all of this was over.

A demon launched himself at him, but he easily jumped away from him, using his wings to escalate above him, before diving down again, with an all too happy battle cry. It felt good to use his wings again. Now they couldn't defeat him.

But of course, even with all the pent up energy and rage, he was still just one angel against many, many demons. He could keep fighting for a while, but he noticed he was starting to become overwhelmed. More demons were coming at him at once – His body moved almost automatically, too fast for many of them to even react before their intestines splattered across the asphalt. Then he suddenly felt something hit his stomach, sending him sprawling as the air got knocked out of him. The demon who'd sent the attack flung himself at him, but he managed to roll away right before a blade impaled the ground beside his head, dangerously close to his newly healed wing. He sent the demon an offended look, then kicked him away from him and into a car parked by the sidewalk, before using his wings to stand again. Then he jumped at the demon, using his bare hand to rip out his heart.

He stumbled a little after that, still trying to catch his breath. He was about to turn, but then he saw something in the reflection of the car window – A demon mid-action, right about to stab him in the back. He knew he was too late already – even he wasn't that fast.

Then, a green flash of light hit the demon, pushing him away from Jyushimatsu. The demon gave a shrill scream, squirming on the ground for a few seconds, before his body went limp. Jyushimatsu blinked, looking to the source of the magic.

He swore right then that he could have been faced with all of these demons at once, completely alone and still wounded, and he would still not feel as threatened and scared as he felt when he saw Choromatsu right then.

The goddess was floating just above the ground, with his arms reaching out, palms facing the sky, his irises glowing green. He had a wild, furious look on his face, looking around himself as if daring the demons to come near him. With his usual mild attitude, it was easy to forget what he was, but Jyushimatsu remembered now – Choromatsu was a megami, one of the most powerful beings in existence. And right there and then, Jyushimatsu finally understood what that meant.

He could feel his power vibrating against his skin, making the street lamps flicker and the windows around them shudder. Wind swirled wildly around him, yet he floated steadily down from the porch. Jyushimatsu couldn't help but notice that his collected body language didn't match the look in his eyes – It made him wonder if Osomatsu really was the one who should learn to manage his powers, because Jyushimatsu could see the Devil in him right now.

The demons around them all froze for a second, suddenly looking like they weren't sure what their next move should be. Then they charged again, several of them running at Choromatsu at once. Jyushimatsu jumped into action, but then Choromatsu snarled something in a language he didn't recognize, and the night exploded in blinding light.

Jyushimatsu stumbled backwards, covering his eyes. Seconds later, when he opened them again, the poor forms of the demons laid scattered everywhere, their bodies slowly disintegrating to nothing. Choromatsu stood in the middle of it, with his eyes closed and his arms still stretched outwards. He was glowing, not so faintly anymore, and the wind around him had yet to calm down.

Jyushimatsu looked around himself, but there were no more demons. He would have been irritated over the fact that he'd been fighting so well, killing them on by one, and then Choromatsu just did that, but he was way too excited over the fact that Choromatsu just did that.

Then, Choromatsu crumpled to his knees then fell sideways.

"Choromatsu-niisan!" Jyushimatsu called, running up to him. He crouched down beside him, turning him over to make sure that he hadn't exhausted himself so much that he straight up died. "Choromatsu-niisan?"

Choromatsu mumbled something incoherently.

"What?"

"Wh… What time?" he slurred. "Time is it?"

Jyushimatsu frowned. "I don't know?"

Choromatsu grimaced, trying to open his eyes. Jyushimatsu helped him sit up, and he looked around confusedly. "What?"

"What what?"

"Why are they dead?" he asked. Then his eyes widened, and he looked to Jyushimatsu. "Did I …?"

Jyushimatsu gave a laugh. "You sure did!"

Choromatsu stared at him for several seconds, before he let out a huff of air, looking around himself again. "I can't remember a thing," he said. "Just like when –" He was cut off by a loud bang coming from inside the house. Jyushimatsu and Choromatsu gave each other one last alarmed look, before they both scrambled to their feet, dashing towards the ruckus.

He couldn't run anymore. His body hurt too much – It felt as if his bones were twisting inside of him, and his blood was boiling. His chest hurt so much, he could barely breathe. He didn't know where he was anymore, he couldn't help the screams echoing through the labyrinth, alerting the guards, alerting Tougou.

He tried leaning against the wall to stand up, and managed to wobble a few steps forward, but then something in his back made a horrible cracking sound, and again his legs gave out beneath him, sending him crashing to the ground again.

You're resisting.

The voice. It wouldn't shut up. It wouldn't leave him alone. He could hear it, even through his own deafening screaming. He pressed his hands over his ears, but to no avail. The voice kept speaking to him, saying that he had to let go, to give up or other bullshit about having him stop fighting. Whatever happened to the encouraging words from before? It didn't make any sense – Had he just gone mad?

He could hear footsteps again, running towards him. He couldn't get away. He couldn't even stand up. His body was jerking unevenly as pain shot through his body again and again and again, making him crumble each time he tried to stand up. There was no point – He couldn't get out of there, not like this.

Idiot! the voice said. Osomatsu didn't understand what he was doing wrong, but the voice was probably right.

His bones crunched, paralyzing pain shooting up his spine. He was dying, wasn't he? This was Tougou's doing – He was using his newly gained powers on him, crushing his body together as easily as scrunching up a piece of fucking paper. Another scream fought its way out of him, splitting the air as he dug his nails into his scalp, squirming helplessly on the ground.

"Niisan!"

His heart skipped a beat. Then he scolded himself. It was over – That was wishful thinking. For a moment he'd thought he heard –

"Niisan!"

He tried raising his head, a spark of hope he'd thought he'd lost forever lighting up in him. He looked to the tunnel in front of him, hearing the running footsteps come closer and closer. Several seconds went by, and then he heard it again – Todomatsu.

"Niisan!"

"T- Todomatsu!" he tried calling back, but his voice was too worn out, and his brain was too exhausted to be able to form any other words than that. "Todomatsu! Todo –" Then he was overwhelmed with the pain again. His back arched, before he banged his head into the ground, unable to stop his body from jerking uncontrollably in every way possible.

"Osomatsu!" Todomatsu's voice said again. Was he real? Was he there? He could see. He didn't know if this was just another trick of his mind, or worse – another trick from Tougou. What if he was still in the torture chamber. What if this was just another strategy Tougou used to break him?

Suddenly he felt arms gripping his shoulder, and he jerked away, scrambling backwards. He didn't want to go back, he couldn't take it anymore, he couldn't –

Todomatsu stood crouched in front of him. His eyes were wide in shock and worry and fear as held his hands out towards him. "Niisan," he said, his voice quivering. "You're safe. It's just us."

Osomatsu could only stare at him, and he snapped his eyes to the person standing behind him. Ichimatsu. He was looking back at him, astonishment and fear being the most apparent feelings in his expression.

Then his eyes moved to a third party, coming up behind them. His body went rigid.

"S- Stop!" he croaked. "No!"

Tougou raised his hand, aiming it at his brothers. Ichimatsu swirled around before Todomatsu, and Tougou's mouth fell open in surprise.

"A Reaper," was the only thing he said.

Then, Todomatsu turned around again, catching Osomatsu in a tight embrace with one arm, and then held onto Ichimatsu with another.

"Go!" he commanded.

Tougou gave a growl, then swung his arm towards them. A wave of shadows came rushing towards them. Osomatsu's vision blurred, feeling his body go limp, and darkness enveloped them.


	9. Chapter 9

Choromatsu pushed the door open, running into the living room. His heart leaped up in his throat when he saw who was sitting in the middle of the floor. Ichimatsu had managed to flip the table over, and was standing on all fours, looking like he was about to puke and pass out at the same time. And beside them sat Karamatsu, cradling the unconscious body of someone he knew had to be Osomatsu, but had the circumstances been different, he wasn't sure if he'd recognize him. His body had not only completely turned away from his human form and into the monstrous, demonic part of himself, but it was also mutilated and bloody, wounded from head to toe. His clothes were tattered and dirty, and sometimes his body would jerk suddenly, as if he was being electrocuted.

"Niisan!" Jyushimatsu yelled as Ichimatsu tried standing, and ran over to him to catch him before he fell again.

Ichimatsu grunted. "Sorry, 'm falling 'sleep…" he mumbled, then went limp in Jyushimatsu's arms.

Choromatsu rushed over to Osomatsu, reaching out as if to touch him, but he didn't know if it was safe. "Is he alive?" he whispered, looking to Karamatsu.

Karamatsu bit his lip, and put a hand to Osomatsu neck. A few, dreadful seconds went by, but then he gave a sob, nodding his head. "He's alive," he said. "He's alive."

Choromatsu closed his eyes in relief, hovering his hands over Osomatsu's unconscious body, preparing to heal his wounds. But then, Karamatsu grabbed his wrists.

"Not yet," he said, sniffling before clearing his throat. "We have to secure the property first. Make it holy ground, so that the demons can't come in. We can't stay here for long, but we have to stay here until everyone is healthy enough to leave. Also, you need to soul bind with Osomatsu again, and Jyushimatsu –" He stopped, turning to the angel. "You have to bind with me."

Choromatsu blinked. Jyushimatsu stared at him blankly, and several seconds passed before anyone said anything.

"Oh right!" Karamatsu exclaimed. "Sorry, this is Todomatsu!"

Choromatsu frowned. "Todomatsu?" he echoed. "You possessed Karamatsu?"

Karamatsu stared at him blankly, his head slightly tilted to the side. Then he rolled his eyes. "It's not over yet," he said. "You'll have to rest. The moment I leave your body, you'll collapse, and I don't think – Yes, I know. I am aware, I am a terrible person, just shut up for a moment, will you? Okay." He looked at Choromatsu. "He's a little pissed off."

"What did you do?" Choromatsu asked.

"I possessed him without consent, but anyway –"

"Todomatsu!"

"I know, okay!" Karamatsu- No, Todomatsu, gave him an exasperated look. "It was the only way, alright? I know you all think that's terrible, but I really don't care? _So,_ back to more important business, we have to soul bind, because the demons will find us, and we can't stay here forever." He looked down at Osomatsu, swallowing heavily. "We have to put him on the couch or something."

Choromatsu nodded, before sliding his arms carefully beneath Osomatsu, then lifted him up without much difficulty. His body slumped lifelessly against his chest, his arms hanging limply at his sides. Choromatsu gently laid him down on the sofa, then put his arms over his chest, and brushed the hair out of his face.

"Karamatsu," Todomatsu said. "I'm going to leave your body now."

Choromatsu looked over to him just as he opened his mouth, and black smoke came hurling out if it, as well as his nose, ear and eyes. It wasn't a pretty sight. Then, the smoke gathered, and making a humanoid shape, then finally turned into Todomatsu.

Karamatsu gasped, then fell sideways, even if he already was sitting down. Todomatsu reacted quickly, catching him before he hit his head on the floor. He gave a giggle.

"There, there," he said.

Karamatsu gave a groan, struggling to sit upright. He said something incomprehensible, then stopped to take a deep breath. "Body hurts," he mumbled. "Everything hurts. I'm gonna pass out." And so he did.

Jyushimatsu, who was still somehow standing with Ichimatsu in his arms, somehow not struggling to keep holding his weight after so long, turned around to put Ichimatsu down on the other sofa, then walked over to Karamatsu. "He deserves the bed," he decided, then picked him up just as easily, as if he didn't weight a thing. Choromatsu knew Jyushimatsu was strong, and he was starting to wonder just _how_ strong that meant, as he walked away with Karamatsu nonchalantly.

"Funny," Todomatsu said, but didn't sound humorous. "Half of us are passed out. After soul binding, I will probably too. It's sort of ridiculous, don't you think?"

Choromatsu smiled softly. "You should get some rest anyway. Jyushimatsu and I will tend to you. I'll bless the property. With the soul binding, it won't bother you, right? To be on holy ground, I mean."

Todomatsu shook his head. "Probably not," he said. "If not, you just have to invite us in. It's not a problem. But you have to hurry!" He waved at Osomatsu, suddenly frantic. "We've already used too much time!"

"Right!" Choromatsu turned back to Osomatsu, but then Jyushimatsu entered the living room again.

"Totty!" he yelled, bouncing up and down, constantly moving his wings, now that he could. "Are! You! Ready!"

Todomatsu's eyes widened, somehow both in excitement and fear at the same time. "Your wing!" he gasped. Then he looked nervous again. "Do you know how to do this?"

Jyushimatsu was flapping his wings, seemingly not paying too much attention to what Todomatsu was saying. "Eh, kind of," he then said, grinning. He jumped over, plopping down next to him. "Probably!"

Choromatsu sent him a doubtful look. "Are you sure if –"

"Fuck it, just do it," Todomatsu said, clenching his eyes shut. He took a deep, shuddery breath. "I'm ready."

Choromatsu pressed his lips together, turning away from the two to focus on Osomatsu. He closed his eyes for a moment, tuning out the sound of Todomatsu's nervous chattering and Jyushimatsu's not-so-soothing words. Then he took Osomatsu's hands carefully, trying to avoid the several wounds on them. His wrists were red, and it looked like they've been bound to something. Choromatsu decided he didn't want to know. Not yet, at least. He let out a shaky breath, closing his eyes again, and focused on recreating the bond between their souls.

He felt warmth spread from his chest to the tips of his fingers, and he knew that if he opened his eyes, he would see that his hands were glowing. He was already exhausted, and he knew this would leave him even more tired, but there were already too many of them that were already unconscious. _Somebody_ had to take care of everyone, and he had a sneaking suspicion that Jyushimatsu would be left exhausted after this as well.

He felt the magic usage drain his body for energy, but he focused on finishing the job, warmth spreading from his palms and onto Osomatsu's hands as he muttered a mantra under his breath. He didn't know how he knew when the job was done, but he opened his eyes again, finding that he at one point had sunken down, and was leaning his head on the sofa.

He blinked tiredly, raising his head slowly. Osomatsu was still sleeping. He didn't look any better after the soul binding – if anything, it would just leave him unconscious even longer.

"I'm sorry," Choromatsu muttered, carefully letting go of his hand. He studied his body, though it was hard to look at; his body was wounded and bloody, Choromatsu was surprised he was even alive. He didn't look human – He didn't look particularly demonic either. He didn't look like anything. It was just … flesh. He swallowed, lifting his arms to heal him, but then he remembered what Todomatsu had told him.

He turned towards the two, and saw that they, as expected, had both passed out. Todomatsu was lying halfway on top of Jyushimatsu, drooling on his stomach. Jyushimatsu, both simply as an angel, and as someone who wasn't familiar with using magic, was a little too weak for soul binding yet, but it seemed he'd been just strong enough to make it work. If he'd done it with an unwilling demon, Choromatsu wasn't so sure if he could've made it.

He stood up, walking past them. He would deal with moving them somewhere more comfortable after he'd blessed the house, securing them from the danger that was undoubtedly closing in on them rapidly.

Todomatsu woke with a start, remembering he had responsibilities and an almost dead brother to take care of. Then he noticed the pillow he'd been sleeping on was actually Jyushimatsu. Then he noticed that his back felt horrible. Why were they on the floor?

The looked around himself, and saw that Ichimatsu was still sleeping on the couch. Osomatsu was also sleeping, although his body was almost constantly shuddering, as if he felt pain, even in unconsciousness. He was lying in a weird position where his legs laid straight out, but his back was twisted a little, arching backwards. He must've moved that way in his sleep, for some reason. Choromatsu, who was sleeping beside him with his head on the couch, definitely wouldn't have moved him that way.

He slowly stood up, trying not to make a sound as his back crackled, then walked over to Osomatsu.

He'd started to turn back to his normal self – For many devils, that would be the demonic side, but not for him. He'd always preferred to look relatively human, mostly because he always was prepared to run away to the Surface at any opportunity, a trait the two of them had in common. But his skin still remained grayish, his teeth long and pointy, and he knew that if he opened his eyes, they would be black and red.

But at least he looked better now. He didn't look completely okay – Choromatsu had probably exhausted himself just getting to where he was now. His flesh was still fucked up, but not _as_ fucked up as it had been. All his bones seemed to have been set in place too. But his body still shuddered, as if he was being electrocuted. Todomatsu started to wonder if Tougou had done more than just hurt him physically. Maybe he'd cursed him. Maybe he still, somehow, had a hold of him, and was torturing him from afar at this very moment.

He pressed his lips together, and kneeled beside Choromatsu, careful not to wake him. He wanted to do something, but right now, it wasn't much he could do. He wondered if Jyushimatsu had managed to bind their souls. He didn't really feel any different. He only hoped he wouldn't start flipping shit as Osomatsu had done after a few days into it. But then again, if Todomatsu had known that Karamatsu was the son of those people, it would've explained a lot of his brother's weird behavior. It would be interesting to see how they'd deal with that.

He remembered Osomatsu wasn't the only one who owed Karamatsu an apology. He bit his lip. That… could wait. For now.

He sighed, pressing his face into the cushions. Life was easier when he didn't particularly care about anyone.

"Todomatsu?" Choromatsu murmured, voice heavy with sleep. He turned to him, sending him a small smile as a reply. "Sorry – I was going to move you, but I fell asleep. How do you feel?"

"My back kind of hurts," he said. "But if you wondered about the soul binding, then … I don't feel anything, to be honest. Is that normal?"

Choromatsu sat up, shrugging slightly. "I guess, since we're not planning on doing anything more than that," he said, looking over Todomatsu's shoulder. "And Jyushimatsu – Oh, he's still sleeping."

"It's kind of ridiculous," Todomatsu said. "I feel like I've been worried for no reason. The way niisan reacted when you proposed soul binding the first time made it seem even worse. But it isn't that bad."

Choromatsu sent him an amused smile. "It can be," he said. "When it's used to purify. But we're on the same team. Jyushimatsu isn't out to get you. Neither am I, of course."

Todomatsu closed his eyes for a moment. "I can't believe I trust you enough to do this shit," he said, giving an airy laugh. "But if you try anything, I'll kick your ass."

Choromatsu giggled. "You shouldn't pick fights you can't win," he said, earning a narrow look from Todomatsu.

Then he gave a relenting sigh. "You're probably right," he said, moving his eyes to Osomatsu again. This time, his focus ended up on the dirt on his clothes. It was stained with mud and blood, and the fabric was all tattered and ruined. He hovered his hand over his hoodie, but then clenched his hand into a fist in distain. "We should change his clothes," he said.

Choromatsu nodded. "Yes. Why don't you go search for something he can wear, and I'll take off the dirty clothes," he said, sending Todomatsu a kind smile.

Todomatsu didn't particularly like his kindness, but that was mostly because he didn't know how to react to it. Choromatsu knew about his fear of germs, and therefore gave him the job that didn't involve any of that. Todomatsu looked at him for a couple of seconds, before he decided he didn't want to talk about that right now, so he just stood up. "Okay," he said stiffly, then walked off.

Choromatsu chuckled behind him. He ignored it, and headed for the stairs, leading up to where he thought the bedrooms were. He was just at the top of the stairs when Choromatsu made him stop.

"Todomatsu," he said, sounding alarmed. "Get down here."

He didn't need to be told twice. He hurried down the stairs again, finding Choromatsu standing over Osomatsu, now without his hoodie. His bare, wounded body was hard to look at, but something on his back made it impossible to look away. Todomatsu walked forward slowly.

"Is … Is that …" Choromatsu started hesitantly.

Todomatsu leaned forward. On Osomatsu's back, right between his shoulder blades, something unmistakable had started to grow. His mouth fell open.

"It's wings," he said.

Choromatsu glanced at him, before he leaned forward to study the start of the two red leathery wings more closely. They'd grown a lot, considering he'd only been in Hell for almost two days, and it made him wonder how quickly they were actually growing. No wonder why Osomatsu had ended up in such a weird position – His back must be aching.

"How can they be wings?" Choromatsu muttered, then reached forward to touch them.

But then, just as he made contact, Osomatsu jolted, giving a monstrous growl. He quickly scrambled away from them, falling off the couch before backing up right into the wall, all too fast for either of them to react. His body had once again gotten a hundred percent back to the demonic part of him, and he stared at them as if he expected them to come after him, as if he still was down in that labyrinth.

Then his jaw went slack. His eyes widened, and he shook his head, before looking back at them again. He opened and closed his mouth. His lip started quivering. "… Choromatsu?" he said. His voice was almost completely broken, and Todomatsu could barely hear what he was saying from this distance.

Choromatsu slowly walked around the couch, his posture hesitant. "It's okay," he said softly. "You're home."

His eyes snapped to Todomatsu, then back to Choromatsu. His face was slowly starting to look human again. "You …" he started, gradually standing up. He pressed his lips together, grimacing slightly. "Are you real?"

Todomatsu swallowed heavily.

"Yes," Choromatsu said. "We're all real. This is real."

Osomatsu started walking wearily towards him. As his came closer, he held out his arm. Choromatsu started to lift his own arm out to him, but was promptly stopped. "Don't," he said. "Don't move." Choromatsu froze, then slowly lowered his arm again. Osomatsu took the last hesitant steps towards him. When he touched his arm, he breathed in shakily, his eyes becoming blank. Then he moved his hand to his wing, then to his chest, and lastly to his cheek.

Choromatsu didn't say anything, but his expression said everything so he didn't have to. He leaned into his touch, trying to blink the tears away from his eyes.

Osomatsu brushed his fingers through his hair, before his face scrunched up, and he stepped forward, pressing his head onto Choromatsu's shoulder, embracing him tightly. His breath was rapid, and Todomatsu could see his whole body was shaking.

Choromatsu bit his lip harshly, but easily hugged him back, using one hand to caress the back of his head softly. "It's okay," he murmured. "You're safe."

"He told me –" Osomatsu whimpered. "He told me you were dead."

"It was a lie," Choromatsu said. "I'm fine. Everyone is fine."

Osomatsu sobbed, but leaned away from him, looking to Todomatsu instead. Todomatsu found it hard to smile for some reason, but realized when a sniffle escaped him that it was because he was crying as well. He didn't even know when he'd started.

"Todomatsu," Osomatsu said. Todomatsu saw that he started walking towards him, and his body acted on his own when he met him halfway. He was careful when he threw his arms around him, afraid to accidentally hurt him now that he was already this fragile. But Osomatsu wasn't that careful. He hugged him tightly, almost to the point where it hurt. Todomatsu pressed his lips together, trying to keep the embarrassing sobs in.

When they pulled away from each other, he saw that Choromatsu was staring at Osomatsu's back, and he remembered what they'd just discovered.

"Osomatsu," Choromatsu said. "You should … I don't know if you know this already, but on your back, there's …"

Osomatsu looked alarmed, and whipped his head to him. "What?" he said, sounding downright scared.

"Nothing bad," Choromatsu said quickly, waving his hands. "It's just – It's –" He looked like he didn't know what to call it. "You've grown wings."

Osomatsu blinked. "What?" he said, before his head suddenly jerked to the side, and he brought his hands to his head. " _Shut up_. I said shut _up_."

Todomatsu stared at him, before exchanging worried glances with Choromatsu. "Niisan?" he said hesitantly.

Osomatsu sent him a wild look, before shaking his head. "Nothing. It nothing," he said. No one was convinced. He tried looking over his shoulder to see the wings, but gave a pained groan as something in his body protested.

"Bathroom," Todomatsu said, waving at them to follow. The three of them went into the bathroom, and Osomatsu placed himself in front of the mirror. His eyes widened when he saw the wings sticking out from his back. As he stared at them, they suddenly jolted, and the skin around them burst open a little. Osomatsu gave a yelp, his body twitching the way it had done when he was unconscious.

Choromatsu leaned forward, studying them with round eyes. "They grew," he said breathlessly. "At least by a centimeter."

Osomatsu shuddered. "Explains a lot," he mumbled, then narrowed his eyes in concentration. The wings barely moved, going up and down slowly. He swallowed. "Why is this happening?"

The second he said it, his face scrunched up in an agonized grimace, and he pressed his palms against his ears, stumbling sideways. Todomatsu ran forward to steady him.

" _Niisan_?" he yelped when it didn't look like he was calming down.

Osomatsu shook his head violently, sinking down to his knees. He growled, digging his nails into his scalp. " _Leave me alone_!" he gasped. " _Leave me alone_!"

Todomatsu sat down with him as Choromatsu also rushed towards them. He tried putting his hands on his brother's cheeks, but he just shook his head, seemingly too panicked to remember where he was, and who he was with. "Niisan," he tried, but didn't reach him.

"Osomatsu –" Choromatsu started, but then Osomatsu's body went rigid, and he gave a choked sound, before his body shuddered, then went completely limp.

Todomatsu caught him in an embrace before he hit the floor. Immediately, he searched for breath, for pulse, for their connection, to make sure that he was still alive.

"What happened?" Choromatsu asked, sounding just as panicked.

"I don't know," Todomatsu said, trying to calm his breathing as he held around Osomatsu. "He's okay. Just unconscious."

Choromatsu visibly relaxed. "He probably wasn't completely rested yet," he said weakly, sounding like he was convincing himself more than anyone.

"Or it was the voice in his head," Todomatsu said flatly. "I presume it was a voice at least. That's what it sounded like."

Choromatsu swallowed, shaking his head. "Let's not … jump to conclusio –"

"He literally told it to shut up and leave him alone. I don't think there's that many other conclusions to jump to."

He pressed his lips together, studying Osomatsu's face. His body had started shuddering again. Todomatsu tried not making contact with the wings on his back.

"What do you think it is?" Choromatsu asked.

He shrugged. "Maybe he's gone bonkers," he said.

"Don't talk like that," Choromatsu scolded. "It's something else, right? Something …"

"Something demonic?" Todomatsu finished for him. "Not anything I've ever heard of. I mean … considering what he's been through, it wouldn't be weird to, you know … find a way to escape reality."

Choromatsu shook his head. "It's too … horrible. It can't be like that."

Todomatsu looked at him. "You saw Osomatsu torturing someone," he said. "This is Tougou we're talking about. What Osomatsu endured was much, _much_ worse."

"But he talked to us just now!" Choromatsu argued. "He seemed normal!"

"Who are you trying to convince, Choromatsu?" Todomatsu asked heatedly. "Do you honestly expect anyone to get through that without getting any scars?"

Choromatsu lowered his gaze to the floor, clenching his jaw. "Let's put him back on the sofa."

"We should put him on the bed instead," Todomatsu said. "He needs to lie on his stomach, to avoid hurting the wings."

"What about Karamatsu?" Choromatsu asked.

Todomatsu grimaced. "I'll, uh … I'll talk to him."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Probably not," he said. "Here, take him." He moved, so that Choromatsu could hold Osomatsu instead. Then he stood up, stretching his back. "I'm probably gonna get yelled at, but I feel like arguments bring people closer, don't you think?"

Choromatsu didn't look convinced.

"I guess it depends on what you're arguing about," he mumbled. "Oh well. Wish me luck."

Jyushimatsu yawned when he woke up. He sat up, looking around confusedly, as he couldn't remember when he'd decided to sleep on the floor. Then he remembered what had happened, and it explained a lot. He could feel the soul binding had worked, and he didn't expect himself to be able to handle such powerful magic at first try. Passing out was expected.

He looked to the two couches, and saw that Karamatsu was sleeping on one of them, and Ichimatsu on the other. He tilted his head to the side. He'd put Karamatsu on the bed, though …

How much time had passed?

He stood up, and walked to the window. He hadn't looked at the clock before he'd bonded with Todomatsu, but it was light outside now, probably around ten in the morning. He'd slept for a long time, and apart from his aching back, he felt well rested.

He spread his wings just for the fun of it, enjoying every second of having two healthy wings now that he knew how it was to only have one. But then he accidentally knocked a vase over, and it fell to the floor, smashing into a thousand pieces. Jyushimatsu jumped, retracting his wings again. "Whoops," he mumbled, mentally apologizing to Matsuzo. First an entire wall, his garden, and now his vase.

"Jyushimatsu?" someone said behind him. He almost didn't recognize the voice, as it was heavy with sleep and exhaustion. He turned around to see that Karamatsu had opened his eyes slightly, and was squinting at him, obviously not appreciating the daylight.

"Karamatsu-niisan," Jyushimatsu said, walking over to him. He kneeled beside him, sending him a bright smile. "How do you feel?"

Karamatsu blinked, then opened his mouth, before closing it again. "I'm …" he started hesitantly, averting his gaze. "I don't know."

His smile faltered a little, but he'd expected this. Or – He'd expected him to lie. He'd expected him to tell him that he felt much better, and that he was sorry for worrying him, or something like that. He hadn't expected him to be honest, which could only mean that what he felt was really, really bad.

Of course it was. He was only human. All he'd done was offering a stranger a place to sleep. He never asked for any of this.

"I'm sorry," Jyushimatsu said. "I tried putting you in the bed, but –"

"Osomatsu is there," he said. "Todomatsu said he was sick, and needed the space."

"Sick?" Jyushimatsu echoed.

"I don't know," he said, sounding bitter. "He wouldn't tell. You can go and check on him if you want."

Jyushimatsu studied him, then shook his head. "I want to stay with you," he said. "You need that, right now."

Karamatsu blinked, sending him a hopeful, and almost surprised look. It broke Jyushimatsu's heart. Then he looked away again, pressing his lips together. "I'm fine," he said.

There it was. "You're not," Jyushimatsu said.

"I have to be."

Jyushimatsu looked at him, before he leaned forward, resting his head carefully on Karamatsu's chest. "You don't," he said. "Nobody expects you too. You're only human."

Karamatsu was silent. After a few moments, Jyushimatsu was about to look up to see if he had fallen asleep, but then he made a sound that almost sounded like a hiccup, but it was quickly followed by something that was unmistakably a choked sob. Jyushimatsu looked up, and saw that Karamatsu had shut his eyes tightly, obviously trying not to let himself cry.

Jyushimatsu smiled sadly, lowering his head to his chest again. "It's alright, Karamatsu-niisan," he said. "Everyone is struggling. Nobody expects anyone to be strong. Nobody expected you to be this collected about this has you have been."

Karamatsu swallowed heavily. "I'm sorry –" he started.

"Don't be," Jyushimatsu said. "You don't have anything to apologize for. Sometimes, you need to be selfish, and that especially goes for you, Karamatsu."

"But I can't," he said. "Not with this. Not when things are like this, right?"

"It's hard," Jyushimatsu said, reaching up to stroke away a tear on his cheek. "But you can right now, okay?"

Karamatsu lied completely still for a moment, then sat up slowly, grimacing as his body protested. Jyushimatsu moved away from him, then sat down beside him on the couch instead. Neither of them said anything, Jyushimatsu because he at the moment didn't have much to say, and Karamatsu because he was too tear-choked to get anything out. Though he looked like he had a lot on his heart.

Jyushimatsu moved closer to him, then put his arms around him. "Karamatsu-niisan," he said. "It's okay to cry."

Karamatsu bit his lip, lowering his head with his shoulder's hunched over. A sob racked his body. "I don't … understand," he whimpered. "My whole life I've – I've been good, right? I've been loyal, a- and …" He took a shuddery breath. "I've waited for God to send me something, something to show that I'm doing the right things, but now I – I just feel …" He paused, as if he was uncertain if he should continue or not. "… used," he finished quietly.

Jyushimatsu didn't say anything, but gave him a slight squeeze to let him know that he was listening.

"And I know that God is the only one who can condemn, I've always known that, and I always give people chances, but …" He fell quiet for a few seconds. Then, when he spoke again, his voice was weak, barely a whisper. "Maybe that isn't always the smart thing to do."

Jyushimatsu looked down on the floor. "Are you talking about Osomatsu-niisan?" he asked.

Karamatsu didn't answer.

"How to you feel about him?" Jyushimatsu then asked.

He stiffened a little, but then rubbed his eyes, exhaling shakily. "I just felt like we were finally getting along when he … told me that ... " His voice broke, and he tried clearing his throat to conceal it, as if that would make it seem like he wasn't already breaking down. "I was weary of him, because of what he is, but I wanted to trust him even so, even if he lied to me when we first met, even if his behavior has been … questionable. But I started to trust him. I trusted him, yet …"

When he broke off again, Jyushimatsu waited a few seconds before he spoke. "But you still went after him, though," he said. "You wanted to save him, right?"

"I don't know," he said weakly. "I guess? I just … I can't hate him, even now. Even if I have a reason to, I just …" He shook his head. "He's still my friend. I still want to … I still want him to call me his brother. Why is that, Jyushimatsu?" He lifted his head to look at him. His eyes were red and puffy, and the usual, overconfident look on his face was completely wiped away. Now he just seemed lost and confused. "If God is so loving, why do I have to deal with all of this? Is it wrong of me to pity myself?"

Jyushimatsu smiled. "No, you have plenty of reason to pity yourself," he said. "But as Choromatsu-niisan said, what Osomatsu-niisan did to your parents was a long time ago, and he was working under the command of someone else. And he _did_ go to save their souls, right?"

"Are you saying I should forgive him?" Karamatsu asked.

"I like to forgive people," he said. "It feels lighter afterwards. I don't forget, though. Sometimes I don't speak to them ever again. But I think Osomatsu-niisan wants to call you his brother as well. I think he regrets what he did. I think you should talk to him, and then see if you can forgive him or not. I still want to be a family, you know!"

Karamatsu glanced at him, but quickly looked away again. He swallowed. "Me too," he said. "But … We'll see."

Jyushimatsu nodded. A few seconds of quiet passed between them. "How does your body feel?" he then asked.

Karamatsu gave a short chuckle. "Like I've been stepped on by an elephant," he said.

Jyushimatsu laughed. "Do you want me to try to heal it?" he asked. "I'm not very good at it, but." He shrugged.

Karamatsu looked hesitant. "Uh … If it isn't any trouble?"

"Not at all!" He jumped up on his feet. "Just lie down, and I'll try my best!"

Karamatsu nodded, then cleared his throat and tried wiping the last tears away from his eyes. Then he lied down, looking just a little bit worried. Jyushimatsu kneeled down beside the couch, hovering his hands over Karamatsu's body. He frowned in concentration, waiting for his hands to start glowing the way Choromatsu's so easily did. It took some work, but after a few seconds, he felt warmth spreading in his body, and his hands started glowing faintly. Karamatsu stared with his mouth open, which made Jyushimatsu feel pretty cool.

He started making circular movements with his hands, feeling the pain Karamatsu felt briefly enter himself, then disappearing. Karamatsu gave a shaky sigh.

"Is it working?" Jyushimatsu asked, although he knew it did.

"Yes," Karamatsu said. "It's – It's incredible. How …"

Jyushimatsu grinned, knowing that Karamatsu was experiencing something he'd only seen or read about from the outside his whole life. He kept going until he couldn't feel any pain anymore, aside from a few bumps and bruises he thought would make Karamatsu feel cooler, because nobody comes out from a war without scars, right?

"There!" he said, standing up again. He helped Karamatsu sit upright. "How do you feel?"

Karamatsu rolled his shoulders backwards, then stretched his limbs. "All back to normal," he said, smiling broadly. "Thank you, Jyushimatsu. You did an excellent job."

Jyushimatsu made a triumphant sound, then reminded himself that Ichimatsu was sleeping right behind him. He glanced at him, but he was still sleeping like a stone. He'd always been a heavy sleeper.

"Hey," Karamatsu said suddenly. "Where did Matsuzo go?"

"Oh, he's safe, probably."

" _Probably?_ "

"Yeah, there was an attack, and –" Jyushimatsu stopped midsentence when he felt a weird sensation go through his body. Suddenly he felt cold, and he wasn't sure if it was his body, or the temperature in the room that was at fault. He looked to Karamatsu, who was looking just as alarmed. It wasn't just him, then – And since he'd only felt that two times before, he thought he knew what that meant.

"What's going on?" Karamatsu asked, standing up.

Jyushimatsu tilted his head to the side to listen, but then a loud growl filled the air, and he jumped. Ichimatsu jolted awake.

"What?" he slurred, looking around himself groggily.

Jyushimatsu walked over to him and helped him stand up. "I think Osomatsu-niisan is awake," he said.

Ichimatsu held onto Jyushimatsu's robe as the three of them hurried upstairs, following the sounds of yelling and beastly snarls. The bedroom door was already open, and when Ichimatsu walked inside, he barely managed to see that Todomatsu was trying to restrain – That was Osomatsu, wasn't it? Right before he was hit by an invisible force, sending him flying into the opposite wall.

Jyushimatsu reacted quickly, hurrying to Todomatsu's side, who'd crumpled to the ground. Choromatsu rushed forward, a plate of light appearing in front of him as Osomatsu sent a wave of black smoke towards him.

"Osomatsu!" he yelled, sounding absolutely terrified and bewildered. "It's us! It's just us!"

Osomatsu growled, but then faltered, shaking his violently. "Stop it! Stop –!" Ichimatsu thought he said, but his voice was so warped, he barely recognized it. His entire body was looking like what you'd expect a devil to look like, but what caught his attention the most was the wings spreading on each sides of his back.

Choromatsu took that as an opportunity to run forward, catching Osomatsu's arms before pinning him to the wall. "Get it together!" he pleaded. "It's okay, you're safe! You're safe, look –"

Osomatsu stared at him, the fear in his expression shining through the monstrous look that had taken over. Then, it briefly turned to shock, then anger. He tried breaking free from Choromatsu's grasp, his roaring making Ichimatsu's ears hurt. " _Who are you_?" he screamed. Choromatsu struggled, before he was suddenly thrown away from him, stumbling backwards. Osomatsu flung himself after him, then it was his turn to pin down Choromatsu. " _Who are you_?" he bellowed again.

Choromatsu blinked up at him, looking hurt through the panic in his eyes. "I'm – I'm Choromatsu –" he started, but Osomatsu lifted his claw, as if to slash his face off.

"No, you're _not_!" he said, and swung his arm, but then there was a flash of light, and Osomatsu screamed in pain. He scurried into a corner of the room, trying to physically shield himself from Choromatsu's magic.

Choromatsu stood up, walking cautiously towards him. "O- Osomatsu …" he tried, voice shaking.

" _No_ …" Osomatsu moaned, shaking his head while hiding his face in his hands. "Shut up! Shut up! Leave me _alone_!"

Choromatsu faltered. "I … It's me," he said helplessly. "I don't –"

Osomatsu suddenly looked up, confusion clear in his eyes. "Choromatsu?" he breathed.

He nodded vigorously. "Yes, yes!" he said, crouching down in front of him with his hands out. "It's me. Are you –"

"He's going to kill me, Choromatsu," Osomatsu whimpered. "If I don't do as he says, it's going to consume me, I can't … I can't control it."

"Who? Who's telling you this?" Choromatsu asked.

"The voice," he said. "It says I have to- It says I have to let go. I'll die if I don't let go."

"Don't," Choromatsu said, taking his hands carefully. Osomatsu let him, though hesitantly. "We don't know what it is yet. It could be Tougou."

Osomatsu's eyes widened. "He's not here," he said weakly, looking around himself as if he was worried he'd suddenly see him standing in the room. "He … He can't do that?"

"He's much stronger now," Choromatsu said. "If he managed to kill Lucifer, how do you know –"

Osomatsu threw his head backwards, another scream erupting from deep in his chest. He squirmed, holding so tightly onto Choromatsu's hand that Choromatsu grimaced in pain. " _Go away!_ " he managed to cry out, before he suddenly gasped, his body going stiff. His eyes stared blankly into the air.

"Osomatsu?" Choromatsu said, panicked. " _Osomatsu?_ "

Ichimatsu stepped forward, catching himself looking around as if he would see another, ghostly Osomatsu stand somewhere. When he didn't see anything, he looked back at the scene before him.

Choromatsu shook Osomatsu's hands, before moving to put his palms against his cheeks. "Osomatsu!" he yelled desperately.

In the next second, the devil's body suddenly collapsed, before quickly regaining posture. He blinked, looking in front of him with a cold stare. He grabbed Choromatsu's hands, ripping them off himself. "Stand back, goddess," he said with a snarl.

Choromatsu looked completely shocked, but scrambled away, as if Osomatsu had burned him. Osomatsu stood up, then slowly looked around himself. His eyes landed on Todomatsu, who'd regained consciousness, but still looked hazed. Though, when he looked at Osomatsu, his eyes suddenly widened, at he stumbled to his feet, before kneeling in front of him.

Ichimatsu looked to the others, but they looked just as confused and scared as he felt.

Choromatsu took a step forward. "O- Osomatsu?"

Turning to Choromatsu, Osomatsu's face stared with eyes that weren't his own. "I am not Osomatsu," he said.

Choromatsu blinked, before his face twisted in anger. "Who are you? What did you do to him?" he demanded.

"Shut up, Choromatsu," Todomatsu hissed from where he was still kneeling.

Ichimatsu's mouth fell open, realizing simultaneously with Choromatsu what was going on. Choromatsu's eyes widened, and for a moment, he looked like he was about to kneel himself, before he frowned, straightening his back again.

"You're …" he started. "You're Lucifer."

Osomatsu raised his head, looking at Choromatsu with distain. "I am," he said. "And you are Choromatsu."

Choromatsu narrowed his eyes. "Do you know me?" he asked cautiously. "A lot of people seem to do."

Osomatsu – No, Lucifer – stretched his lips into a faint, cold smile. "Did you have fun in your lake?" he asked, almost tauntingly.

"What do you mean?" Choromatsu retorted, sounding both annoyed and terrified at the same time, as if he wanted to be brave, but then he _was_ standing in front of the king of Hell. Or, someone who used to be.

"That is not important," he said dismissively. "You wish to defeat the devil called Tougou, do you not?" He turned to the others in the room. He narrowed his eyes at Todomatsu. "Stand, demon."

Todomatsu scrambled to his feet, tried looking at the devil, _the_ Devil, but ended up looking away again, clearly afraid of what was coming.

"We do," Choromatsu said. "We're trying to make the Heavens prepare to fight. Tougou seems to know what he's doing, from what I know."

Lucifer scoffed scornfully. "I am afraid he does," he said. "He is much stronger than anyone expected. But he is not fit for the throne. Someone who is strong enough has to stop him before it is too late."

"Too late for what?" Ichimatsu asked before he could stop himself.

Lucifer turned to him, tilting his head to the side. "The Reaper," he said. "Who used to be an angel. I am … surprised that you broke the Ancient Laws to save one of mine. I certainly hope you were aware that that is a punishable crime."

Ichimatsu hesitated. "I … knew. Somewhat."

"But you do not what the punishment is."

He looked at him, trying not to falter with his stare. "No. I just wanted to save him."

He thought he saw Lucifer smile again. "I see," he said. "The punishment for breaking the Laws is losing the ability to die."

"What?" Ichimatsu took a step forward, his heart speeding up. "I thought that came with the whole Reaper-package!"

"It is a common belief, because most of them end up breaking the Laws early in their lives as Reapers," he said. "Though you didn't break any Laws by saving him. The moment you decided to become a Reaper with the intention of fighting against Hell, you chose a side, and the curse was put upon you immediately when you stepped out of the lake."

Ichimatsu closed his eyes, feeling a bit ill. Well, at least he was already prepared for this. Still, it made him sick to think that he had the chance to avoid this fate, and he threw it away without even knowing about it.

"However," Lucifer continued. "If you help me, I will raise the curse, as a reward."

Ichimatsu snapped his eyes to him again.

"He- Help-" Karamatsu piped up, stepping forward. He was shaking. Ichimatsu was impressed that he even managed to speak. "Help you how?"

When Lucifer turned to him, Karamatsu took a step backwards again. He stared at him for a long time without saying anything, before he wrinkled his nose slightly. "I believe you and Osomatsu have some things to talk about," was what he said.

Karamatsu's mouth fell open. "R- Really?" he tried.

"Anyway," Lucifer then said, rolling his eyes in a way that didn't fit his otherwise so pompous and serious attitude. "Tougou is not fit for the throne because he wishes to disrupt the balance between the worlds. He was right when he said that without the Surface, the Heavens will have no purpose, but what he does not realize is that without the Heavens, Hell will also lose that. One cannot disappear while the other two keeps on living. Hell needs a king that will maintain this balance."

Choromatsu stepped forward. "What do you need us for?" he asked. "What do you need Osomatsu for?"

"Osomatsu," he said. "is the only one who can defeat him."

The room was quiet for a few seconds.

"Are you sure?" Todomatsu asked hesitantly, then put his hand over his mouth.

Lucifer was quiet, before he chuckled. _Lucifer_ chuckled. "Yes, but not without help," he said. "Alerting the Heavens was a good choice. They will help you. I will help you too. I have lent Osomatsu some of my power, but as you have seen, he is still too weak to contain it. You have to find me, or else it will become too much for him."

"You knew this when you forced your power on him?" Choromatsu asked. "What if we don't find you? Will he die?"

Lucifer stared at him indifferently. "Yes," he said. "And yes."

"How could you do that?" Choromatsu demanded, taking another step forward. "You can't _force_ anyone to work for you!"

Lucifer sent him a condescending look, before Choromatsu suddenly got knocked down to his knees, much the same way Osomatsu had been the first time they'd met with the angels of the Heavens. "How dare you speak to me like that," he said. "What I do with the devils and demons of Hell is my decision alone. You should be happy I have not punished him for breaking the rules by becoming friends with _you._ "

Choromatsu groaned. "If he dies," he said. "Who will defeat Tougou then?"

"You will find me," he said. "Osomatsu will guide you."

"In Hell?" Choromatsu tried lifting his head, but barely managed to look up at him through his bangs. "Jyushimatsu and I can't go down there."

"You can now," Lucifer said. "You have my permission. I cannot stay in this body much longer. You have two weeks to find me, and you _must_ find me. Or else your plan will fail. Do you understand me?"

Choromatsu snapped his head up, then stumbled to his feet. "Are you telling the truth?" he asked, blushing just a little bit at his inelegance.

Lucifer looked almost amused. "I would not lie about this," he said.

"About this," Choromatsu repeated.

He turned to the rest of them. "Good luck," he said. Then, he closed his eyes, and Osomatsu's body crumpled to the ground.

Choromatsu rushed forward, quickly followed by Todomatsu and Jyushimatsu. Karamatsu also took a few steps forward, but then faltered. When Choromatsu lifted Osomatsu carefully up in a sitting position, he groaned quietly, the demonic traits of his appearance slowly melting away. He shuddered, then lifted his arms, turning them back and forth.

"Did I just …" he started, his voice raspy and fragile. "… get possessed?"

Choromatsu sent him a worried look. "You did," he said.

Osomatsu sent him a weird look.

" _I_ got possessed?"

"You sure did," Todomatsu said.

"By _Lucifer._ "

Choromatsu stroked his back softly. "How do you feel?" he asked.

"I think I … I want to apologize to everyone who has ever been possessed," he said, while trying to stand up. "Because that was incredibly …" He trailed off, his eyes landing on Karamatsu. His mouth remained hanging open.

Karamatsu froze, obviously at loss of what to say as well.

Ichimatsu immediately cleared his throat. "I have to go," he said. He couldn't deal with that awkward atmosphere, and walked off before anyone could ask him why.

He headed down the stairs, hoping to find something to eat in the kitchen. Maybe he could try and figure out the coffee machine. Or maybe he should just sleep some more. He didn't think he was fully rested yet. But when he came down to the living room again, he was met with a familiar face.

"Hello, Ichimatsu," Matsuyo said, smiling at him as if she was happy to see him.

He gaped. "Matsuyo? What are you doing here?" Ichimatsu asked quietly, walking up to her.

"We said we would be back soon," she said. "But you were gone. We found you here, after Choromatsu prayed for help to heal Jyushimatsu's wing. Has Osomatsu returned?"

Ichimatsu lowered his eyes to the floor. "A lot of things happened in the short time you were gone," he said. "He's here, but things are a bit ... complicated."

Matsuyo frowned worriedly. "What happened?"

"After you left," he said. "Osomatsu went down to Hell. He freed Karamatsu's parents, and I sent them to the other side. Right after, a demon appeared and took Osomatsu. We had to flee, because demons were taking over the town. The ride here took a few hours, and you know the flow of time is different in Hell. We went down there after a while, but then Osomatsu had already been there for almost two days, being … being tortured by Tougou." He kept staring at the floor, trying not to fidget with his hands.

"And you saved him?" Matsuyo asked, sounding utterly shocked. "He's here? How is he?"

"The thing is," Ichimatsu said, looking hesitantly back at her. "Something just happened. I don't think I should be the one to explain, because I wasn't there the whole time, but … Osomatsu just got possessed by Lucifer."

Matsuyo blinked. "By … Lucifer? _The_ Lucifer?" she asked slowly.

Ichimatsu just nodded.

"What … What did he want?" she then asked.

"Maybe Osomatsu should tell you that himself," he said, gesturing to the stairs which he had just come down. He only hoped Osomatsu and Karamatsu weren't having a lovers' quarrel or anything like that …

Karamatsu stiffened when Osomatsu's eyes landed on him. Ichimatsu excused himself, leaving him alone and exposed to what would probably evolve into a very uncomfortable situation.

"Uh …" Osomatsu started, looking around himself as if planning an escape route. Then he looked down on the floor. Choromatsu looked between the two of them, looking incredibly stressed. Todomatsu just looked uncomfortable.

"Osomatsu-niisan," Jyushimatsu said. "Karamatsu-niisan probably doesn't want me to say this but you should know anyway. When Todomatsu and Ichimatsu-niisan saved you, Todomatsu was possessing Karamatsu's body. Weren't you, Totty?"

Todomatsu looked up, then glanced nervously at Karamatsu. He didn't want to meet his eyes. "Um… Yes," he said. "Because Karamatsu couldn't just walk around like …" He trailed off, and Karamatsu looked up to see that he was staring worriedly at Osomatsu. He moved his eyes to him as well, and saw that he was looking back at him almost judgingly. Not in a hateful way, just utterly confused.

"You came after me?" he asked.

Karamatsu forced himself not to look away from the piercing stare he sent him. "Yes," he said.

"Why?"

He glanced at Jyushimatsu, before looking back at Osomatsu again. "It's in my nature to forgive," he said.

Osomatsu narrowed his eyes, then took a step towards him. His body shook with exhaustion. "That's bullshit," he said, sounding almost angry even when his voice was so weak.

Karamatsu took a step back, maintaining distance between them. He still didn't look completely human. He didn't look like Osomatsu. He looked like his parents' killer. No, it wasn't in his nature to forgive, he knew that now. He was angry at him, and he was scared of him. But he didn't need to know that. "The Bible says –" he started, but was promptly interrupted.

"I don't give a fuck about what the _Bible_ says," Osomatsu said. He could hear that he was trying to raise his voice, but he still sounded fragile. It made Karamatsu feel a little better, safer, but it also made him feel bad for feeling that way. "I want to hear what you say. I want to hear you speak outside of what _God_ has told you to do. Why did you come after me?"

"Osomatsu, calm down," Choromatsu said. "You're going to exhaust yourself."

Karamatsu swallowed heavily. Why was he reacting like this? Why was he angry with him? He opened his mouth to say something, but he couldn't get the words out.

Osomatsu shook his head. "I don't understand…" he said quietly, suddenly looking defeated. "Don't you hate me?"

There was a lump in Karamatsu's throat again. He still couldn't speak. After a few heavy moments of silence, he looked to the ground, unable to reply in any way to the question. He breathed through his nose, forcing his voice to work. "Excuse me," he managed, before walking out of the room.

He headed straight to the bathroom, locking the door behind him. He felt pathetic, hiding away from him like that. He thought he would manage seeing him again better, but … he wasn't that strong. He wasn't strong. He was weak. He couldn't even handle something small like that.

He leaned against the sink, trying to force away the painful feeling in his throat. He could hear the others talking faintly, but he couldn't hear what they were saying. Someone walked past the bathroom door. Maybe it was Ichimatsu.

He rolled out some toilet paper, then put cold water on it, before pressing it against the red puffiness on his cheeks. He breathed in slowly, then exhaled, and repeated until the pain in in throat subsided. This wasn't the right time to be crying. He just let it out with Jyushimatsu anyway. Right now, he needed to pretend again. He could feel sorry for himself later.

He considered flushing the toilet to make it seem like that was the reason for why he was in there, but the truth was probably obvious anyway. Instead he just fixed his hair, made sure that all trace of crying was wiped away from his face, then opened the door again.

When he went into the bedroom again, there was a new face. Matsuyo sat on the edge of the bed, and Osomatsu on the other side, looking at Matsuyo as if he wasn't sure if she was real or not. Ichimatsu stood by the door, and when Karamatsu came closer, he sent him a look that Karamatsu thought was sympathetic. At least that's what he was trying to do, but it looked more like a grimace.

Choromatsu stood a few meters by Osomatsu. It was clear that he wanted to stand closer, as Osomatsu wasn't the most stable of them at the moment, but Osomatsu probably didn't want to be pampered right now. Not with the audience, at least.

Todomatsu and Jyushimatsu had taken a seat by the wall Todomatsu had been knocked against earlier, having seemingly not moved from that spot since then. Together they were seven in the room, and Karamatsu was happy that Matsuzo had a big bedroom even though he lived by himself.

"Osomatsu," Matsuyo said softly. "Do you think you're able to tell me what happened?"

Osomatsu just stared at her. Although his appearance looked almost completely human now, there was just something about him that made Karamatsu feel uneasy – and it wasn't because of the new leathery wings that stretched from his back. How could they have grown so quickly anyway?

Choromatsu shifted. "Maybe not right –" he started, but Osomatsu sent him a sharp look, making him shut up.

"I can," he said, turning back to Matsuyo. He looked at her for a few seconds, then averted his eyes. "I can… try, at least."

"Don't strain yourself," Matsuyo said, sending him a kind smile.

Osomatsu sent her a stare that almost looked scared, before he quickly glanced away again. "Well," he started, trying to clear his voice, but to no avail. "After I came back from …" He stopped, his lips quivering a bit as he clenched his fists. Then he bit his teeth together, bowing his head for a moment, before he looked up again.

Karamatsu swallowed heavily, knowing what he was going to stay: After he came back from freeing his parents. But he didn't want to mention Karamatsu. He was a coward.

"I was knocked out," Osomatsu continued. "And when I woke up, I was … I was in this dark room, and my hands were in shackles." He moved his right hand over his wrist unconsciously, looking into the air without any emotion in his eyes. "And my feet were molded into cement. When I woke up, I –" He gave a laughing scoff. "I tried calling for help. Because I'm an idiot, obviously. The guards heard it, of course, so they alerted T- Tougou."

When he stammered, Choromatsu took a step forward, but Osomatsu just shook his head.

"It's okay," he said, then cleared his throat again. "When he came, he told me that he was way more powerful than he used to be, and that everything was going as planned. He told me that he'd gained magic we devils shouldn't even be able to use. Holy magic, that is." He sent Matsuyo a questioning look at that.

Matsuyo opened her mouth uncertainly. "What kind of magic?" she asked.

"I don't know all of it, I think," Osomatsu said, looking down to his lap. "But I passed out at one point, and he woke me by throwing water on me. I don't remember exactly what I said to him, but he didn't like it. Then he somehow managed to turn …" He stopped talking, his head jerking sharply to the side as his face scrunched up.

"Osomatsu –" Choromatsu tried again.

"No!" Osomatsu growled. "I said I'm okay." He shook his head, then glanced up at the ceiling, taking a deep breath. "He turned the water into holy water," he finished, his face going back to emotionless.

"I see," Matsuyo said, sounding worried. "That's … bad. Did anything else happen?"

Osomatsu nodded. "He kept talking about how he was going to take over everything and all that, and that he'd already started taking over parts of the Surface, and that Choromatsu was- was dead. That was a lie, obviously, so I don't know what else he said might be lies." He looked up, first to Matsuyo, and then to Choromatsu. His mouth opened and closed for a moment, and he started fidgeting with his hands. "Is it … Is it true that Karamatsu's church …"

Karamatsu's stomach churned.

Choromatsu bowed his head. "It was attacked," he said. "I don't know if they were possessed or just bad people, but … they set fire to the church, while Karamatsu was inside. They, uh …" He bit his lip.

"What?" Osomatsu demanded, his voice becoming hard.

Karamatsu took a step forward without thinking. "They set fire to it because I'm a devil worshipper, apparently," he said, the coolness in his voice surprising himself as much as everyone else in the room. "Not sure who figured that out, but I don't think Choromatsu was the only ethereal being they sensed that day."

Osomatsu stared at him, before his eyes widened in realization. "The old lady," he muttered. "She wasn't praying, she was …" His face contorted in both anger and guilt, and he swore under his breath. He shook his head. "I'm … sorry. It's all my fault."

Karamatsu studied him. He was being honest. He _was_ sorry. He _did_ feel guilty. He genuinely believed that it was his fault that the church had burnt down, and although Karamatsu knew that he'd only been trying to help, to make up for what he did, he also knew that if it hadn't been for him, it wouldn't have happened. He wouldn't even have been in this goddamn situation. If it hadn't been for him, Karamatsu would still have his parents. He couldn't shake that thought, no matter how deeply he believed in compassion and forgiveness.

"It's not your fault," Karamatsu said, the words rolling over his tongue automatically. He didn't feel that way at all, but it was what everyone expected him to say. So he did. "You were only trying to help."

Osomatsu slowly looked up at him. At first, he looked surprised, confused, and even hopeful. But then, he frowned, his eyes filling with the same anger from before. But he didn't say anything. He looked away from him, focusing on Matsuyo instead. "There was something he said," he continued. "About Choromatsu. He said he knew him. More than I do, and more than Choromatsu does himself. Maybe he was lying, but … he said that he was special or different or something. What did he mean by that?"

Choromatsu looked lost. "There's been people recognizing me as well," he added. "People I've never seen before treating me like they know me from somewhere. I am aware that they know things about me that I don't, things that they aren't authorized to tell me. I don't understand."

Matsuyo was wearing a soft smile. "Maybe you'll know soon," she said, her smile turning apologetic. "I'm afraid I can't help you there either."

Osomatsu gave her a weird look. "But it's confusing," he said. "Right before I – Just before you arrived, I wasn't myself. I lost control. And in that moment, I looked at Choromatsu, and I saw …"

Everyone in the room looked at him expectantly when he trailed off.

"Saw what?" Choromatsu asked.

Osomatsu blinked, looking completely lost. Then he grimaced, shaking his head. He mumbled something under his breath, but Karamatsu didn't catch what it was. When he covered his face with his hands, Choromatsu rushed forward, kneeling in front of him.

"Osomatsu," he said, placing his hands on his upper arms. He spoke slowly and softly, not letting the worry he was most certainly feeling get into his voice. "Take deep breaths. You're still safe. You don't have to talk about this. Just breathe."

Osomatsu nodded slightly, but he still had his hands over his face, his body making jerking movements every now and then. Matsuyo looked at the scene before her, eyes wide with worry. Karamatsu felt worried too, and though a part of him told him that was the right, noble thing to feel, the selfish part of him told him that Osomatsu didn't deserve that compassion.

After a few minutes, Osomatsu calmed down enough to let his hands fall away from his face. His skin was tinted with gray, and his eyes had become darker. Was it this easy for him to lose control now? It didn't make Karamatsu feel any safer exactly.

"Sorry," he said quietly. He glanced at the others in the room, looking almost embarrassed. He cleared his throat yet again. "It's … harder than I thought."

It was weird seeing him this shy and vulnerable. Karamatsu knew Osomatsu to be brave and goofy and often a little arrogant. He was an idiot, he was selfish, and he was definitely dangerous. He was strong minded. This … was not that person. This Osomatsu sitting on the bed in front of him wasn't the same as the one who had left for Hell to free his parents' souls. Or maybe he was, he just hadn't showed this side of him before.

"Are you sure you can continue?" Choromatsu asked. "It's okay if you can't."

"It really is," Matsuyo said. "Don't push yourself."

"It's not much to say," Osomatsu said, taking one last deep breath. He let it out in a sigh. "He told me Lucifer was dead. That was a lie, _obviously._ "

Karamatsu felt shivers go down his spine when he remember the sight of Osomatsu's body possessed by Lucifer. He almost couldn't believe that he'd stood mere meters away from the fallen angel he'd heard so much about his whole life. Satan. Beelzebub. _The_ Devil.

"Lucifer –" Matsuyo shifted, folding her hands. She looked nervous, as if saying the name would bring her bad luck. "He possessed your body?"

Osomatsu blinked at her, before he sent Ichimatsu a look. Ichimatsu just shrugged. "Yes," he said. "He did. I realize now that if I'd just listened to him from the beginning, I wouldn't have had to go through a lot of what Tougou did to me."

Matsuyo tilted her head to the side. "How so?"

Osomatsu closed his eyes, then reached forward. Choromatsu, who was still seated on the floor in front of him, took his hand as if he could read his thoughts. Osomatsu smiled briefly, before his brows knitted together in discomfort again. "After Tougou had … had tortured me for a while, I started hearing a voice, though my mind was kind of fucked up back then, so I didn't think much about that at all. I thought maybe it was someone talking in the distance, or just my brain playing tricks on me, or … I don't really know." He swallowed, taking another deep breath. "But as he continued, as I became weaker, the voice became louder. I thought I was going crazy. When Tougou told me –" He stopped, opening his eyes to glance at Choromatsu. Then looked away, suddenly seeming embarrassed. "He told me something that triggered … something in me, or whatever. I managed to break free, and I attacked Tougou, knocking him out for long enough to escape."

"What did he say?" Matsuyo asked.

Osomatsu sent her an almost pouty look. "Is that really important?"

"It could be a trigger word," she explained. "Something that makes you lose control. It's good to be aware of, isn't it?"

"It's nothing like that," Osomatsu mumbled. He looked up, and saw that everyone was giving him questioning looks. Then he sighed, looking defeated as he averted everyone's eyes. "It was when he told me Choromatsu was dead."

Choromatsu raised his head a little. Silence followed. Osomatsu's face gradually became redder.

"That's really flattering," Choromatsu said quietly, though the playful tone in his voice was very apparent.

"Shut up, Cherrymatsu," Osomatsu shot back. If he wanted to sound angry, he didn't quite make it. A smile was playing on his lips.

Karamatsu caught himself smiling as well, before he reminded himself that he was angry. Then he reminded himself that he should be forgiving. He brought a hand to his head. This mental fight he was having with himself was really making his brain hurt.

"Anyway," Osomatsu continued. "As I was running, he spoke to me, but in that hazy state I didn't understand that he was trying to help. In a way. It wasn't before Todomatsu and Ichimatsu s- … and Karamatsu saved me and I woke up again here that I started to realize what was going on."

Why did he feel happy from just being remembered? And remembered by _him_ too… Why did his acknowledgement mean anything to him?

"What did Lucifer want?" Matsuyo asked.

Osomatsu looked uncertain. He glanced at Choromatsu, who just nodded. "He … wanted us to find him," he said. "Or else his power will kill me."

Matsuyo's eyes widened. "Kill you? And who is 'us'?" she asked.

Osomatsu shrugged. "The six of us, I guess? He gave Choromatsu and Jyushimatsu permission to enter Hell or something," he said, though it sounded more like a question. "He lent me his powers. That's how I got these." He pointed to his wings. "That's also why I feel like I'm burning up, I think. We've got two weeks to find him, and he said that if we don't, our mission will fail."

"He also said Osomatsu would know where he is," Choromatsu piped up. "What do you know about that, Osomatsu?"

He shrugged. "I have no idea what he meant," he said.

"That's not good," Todomatsu mumbled dryly. Jyushimatsu made an agreeing sound.

"I have a feeling that I have to go back to Hell to find out," Osomatsu said, eyes glazing over. "But I don't … I can't go back there."

Matsuyo stood up. "You have two weeks," she said. "You don't have to go back yet, in that case. I think you've been through enough for the Heavens to make them trust you. At least enough to make them get to work. I have a proposition for you." She looked around at the others in the room. "For all of you, that is."

Karamatsu's heart sped up.

"And what is that?" Osomatsu asked.

She looked uncertain for a moment, before she sent him another smile. "I want you to come with me to the Heavens."

He woke up because of a seething pain in his back. His first thought was that Tougou had once again woken him up for another session of whatever fucked up torture method he'd come up with now, which automatically made him fight back. His whole body tensed, and somehow, he became free of the shackles.

But no – That wasn't where he was. When he opened his eyes, he was already desperately scrambling away from what had hurt him, and he crashed to the ground head first. His mind was hazy with panic, and he didn't get the chance to look around himself before he ran backwards into a wall. Then he noticed that he wasn't at all in the chamber Tougou had trapped him in. He wasn't in the tunnels. He wasn't even in Hell.

The memories slowly came back to him.

In front of him, wide eyed with worry, stood Todomatsu and Choromatsu. Todomatsu looked like he was at the brink of tears already, while Choromatsu still seemed to process what had happened. He stood with his hand stretched slightly outwards, as if reaching for him.

Choromatsu – But Choromatsu… Was this real? It couldn't be. It was too good to be true. This … unfamiliar house he was in was too big and clean and homely to be real. Seeing his friends in front of him like this, just standing there without any invisible wall in the way – It was too perfect. Nothing was ever this easy. And Choromatsu – Choromatsu was dead. Tougou had said so.

This was a trick. This was another form of torture. Yet …

"... Choromatsu?" he said, his hopes rising even if he was convinced this was all an illusion. His voice was so weak, and his ears were ringing, his head was spinning - he wasn't sure if he'd said anything at all.

Choromatsu moved, walking slowly around the couch. His eyes were fixed with him, filled with a cautious softness he'd often seen in them. Maybe this was his own dream, not an illusion made by Tougou. Tougou couldn't know him well enough to know exactly how he'd react ... or did he? What had he said about knowing him more than he knew himself?

"It's okay," Choromatsu said. "You're home."

He wanted to tell him to stop lying. His heart was hammering in his chest. This was a dream, and if he let himself hope, he would just wake up more beaten down than before. This was fake. This was fake. It was ... right?

"You ..." he started, trying to stand upright. He didn't want to let himself ask. "Are you real?"

"Yes," Choromatsu said. "We're all real. This is real."

Why was he doing this to himself? But ... then again, if he was going to wake up anyway, then he could let himself have this moment of peace, couldn't he?

Well aware - at least he wished he was - that this was just a dream, he started walking slowly towards him, hesitantly reaching for him with his hand. But what if this _was_ a trick from Tougou? What if something would happen when he touched him? What if he would suddenly transform into something horrible when he came near him? What if -

His heart skipped a beat when Choromatsu lifted his hand as well. "Don't," he said. "Don't move."

Choromatsu froze, before his hand slowly lowered to his side again. Osomatsu took the last step towards him, his hand hovering over his arm. If he touched him, would this dream dissolve? Would it change? Would it hurt?

He bit his teeth together, then touched him with his fingertips. He breathed in, feeling a painful lump form in his throat. His vision became blurry as he moved his hand to the wings on his back. Tougou definitely couldn't know how soft they felt. After he'd let his fingers stroke over the white feathers, he moved on to his chest, where his heart beat erratically, as if he was just as scared as Osomatsu was.

Then he pressed his hand softly to Choromatsu's cheek. His eyes had glazed over with tears long ago, and he blinked rapidly to stop them from falling. He leaned into his touch, and Osomatsu could feel the warmth radiating from him.

He pressed his lips together. He brushed through his hair just for a moment, before he felt his knees go weak, and the lump in his throat became too big and painful to hold back. He put his head on Choromatsu's shoulder and held tightly around him, his body shaking with silent sobs.

"It's okay," Choromatsu soothed. "You're safe."

Could he be telling the truth?

"He told me -" Osomatsu started, but his voice was too weak to form a sentence. He inhaled, and tried again. "He told me you were dead."

"It was a lie," Choromatsu said. "I'm fine. Everyone is fine."

Osomatsu wanted to believe him. No, he wanted to believe that it was safe to believe him. He tightened his hold on him, sobs racking his body.

When he leaned away from him, he looked to where Todomatsu was standing. He was really crying now; crocodile tears fell down his cheeks freely, and his lips quivered so much even when he pressed them together to hold back the whimpers. He'd always been a crybaby like that.

"Todomatsu," he mumbled, letting go of Choromatsu to walk towards him instead. Todomatsu reacted instantly, meeting him halfway in a desperate embrace. His brother hugged him carefully, and Osomatsu understood that it was because he didn't want to hurt him. But he didn't care. He was home. Right?

Osomatsu's breath had started to even out when they pulled away from each other again, but that didn't last long.

"Osomatsu," Choromatsu started, the anxiety clear in his voice. "You should ... I don't know if you know this already, but on your back, there's ..."

His back. He turned sharply to him, and the pain in his body suddenly flared up again, as if seeing his brothers again had temporarily dulled his nerves. His back was especially bad - something just between his shoulder blades, and then something ... something unfamiliar.

"What?" he demanded, catching the fear in his own voice.

"Nothing bad," Choromatsu said quickly and waved his hands. "It's just - It's -" Osomatsu stared at him, already growing impatient. Choromatsu grimaced a little. "You've grown wings."

... What?

As far as he knew, only extremely powerful devils, usually high ranked, could grow wings. He knew more existed, but the only devil he knew for sure that had manage it, was...

 _You're mine._

Osomatsu's breath got caught in his throat as the voice pierced his brain again. The voice - if he could still hear it, did that mean that he still wasn't safe? " _Shut up_!" he hissed, pressing his hands against his ears. He couldn't focus on what it was saying, he didn't want to hear its words, but he could hear it even so. "I said shut _up_!"

The sounds around him became dull as the voice kept talking, talking, _talking_ –

"Niisan?"

Todomatsu's voice shot through the chaos in his head, bursting the bubble that had formed around him. Osomatsu stared at him, using the image of him as an anchor to the real world. Or what he hoped was the real world. The voice didn't make another sound.

"Nothing," he said, knowing very well that he didn't at all sound convincing. "It's nothing." He looked at them both for a moment, before he remembered what Choromatsu had said. He tried looking behind himself, but pain shot through his body when he twisted it like that.

"Bathroom," Todomatsu suggested, and lead the way.

With his back turned to the mirror, Osomatsu managed to catch a glimpse of what was indeed the start of a pair of wings growing out from his back. Abruptly, as he watched them, pain erupted in his back again, and a hurt whimper escaped him.

Choromatsu leaned forward, staring at his back with wide eyes. "They grew," he said. "At least by a centimeter."

Osomatsu felt shivers go down his spine. "Explains a lot," he muttered. He narrowed his eyes, trying to become familiar with the strange feeling of having a new pair of body parts. For a moment, nothing happened, but then the wings started moving a little, going up and down. Osomatsu swallowed, nausea filling his stomach. "Why is this happening?"

He wished he hadn't asked. The moment the words was out of his mouth, the voice inside his head gave a deafening growl. His throat constricted, making him unable to scream, and he helplessly tried blocking out the sound with his palms as the whole world tipped to the side.

He stumbled, but something caught him before he hit the ground. He shook his head as the voice didn't stop roaring. He didn't even know if it was saying words anymore. His head was going to explode. The voice was going to kill him -

" _Leave me alone_!" he tried, but he couldn't hear his own voice anymore. " _Leave me alone_!"

He squirmed on the ground, shaking his head desperately. Someone was touching him. Where was he? What was going on? Who was -

" _Osomatsu_?" a faint voice said, but then everything went quiet. Osomatsu felt his body freeze, and then everything went dark.

He woke up again because his body was on fire. He couldn't move – he was trapped as his body was etching away, as if he was being submerged in holy water. He opened his eyes wide, and saw nothing at all. It was dark. He couldn't see, he couldn't hear, he couldn't –

The voice filled his head. _You're going to die,_ it said. _You're going to die!_

Osomatsu's whole body tensed, and he let out a desperate growl. His body sprang into action, and he stumbled to his feet, still seeing nothing but darkness, and vague shapes coming towards him.

His mind was too panicked to form words. Instead he just roared and the shapes, his body ripping more and more apart the more magic he used to keep them away. Gradually, the shapes became clearer, and he saw that there was something about them, something …

Pain racked his body, and he gave a cry, stumbling backwards until he crashed into something.

" _Niisan_!" a familiar voice said. It was familiar, right? He'd heard it before, somewhere.

There was chaos in his head. Too many sound – his head hurt so much. Everything hurt, his body was decaying.

Someone grabbed him.

"Osomatsu-niisan, it's me!" the voice said, but he didn't know who "me" was. His mind blanked, and he let out a monstrous scream, a wave of energy exploding around him. Whoever had grabbed him got pushed away.

His vision was clearer now. The image in front of him was muddy and hazy. There was a light a few meters in front of him, and he recognized it as something holy. Something of the Heavens. His body reacted automatically as dark smoke rushed from his arms towards the light.

"Osomatsu!" There was another voice. It sounded so fragile - something about it made Osomatsu want to stop. What was this? Where was he? "It's us! It's just us!"

He shook his head, the voice in his head sounding more and more aggravated and demanding. It wanted him to die. It wanted him to give up. " _Stop it! Stop-!"_ he cried, digging his nails into his scalp.

Something pushed him into a wall, and he gave a frightened yelp.

"Get it together!" the voice said. Osomatsu opened his eyes, looking into a pair of green irises. His face became more and more apparent - He looked familiar. But from where? Why did he know him? Osomatsu stared at him, confused and scared, before he suddenly saw where he'd seen that face before. "It's okay, you're safe! You're safe, look-"

He barred his teeth, another roar ripping out through his throat. " _Who are you_!" he demanded, feeling a wave of strength soar through him. He pushed forward, sending the person to the ground. Osomatsu threw himself over him, pinning him down. " _Who are you_?"

The green eyes blinked up at him, the hurt in them making his chest ache for whatever reason. Who was he? Why did he look like –

"I'm - I'm Choromatsu -"

Osomatsu raised his hand. "No, you're _not_!" he snarled, swinging his arm at his face, but then he was abruptly hit by a wall of blinding light, the warmth from it making his skin sizzle.

He screamed, scrambling away from the light while desperately trying to shield himself with his arms. He backed up into a corner, and the voice in his head became louder.

"No ..." he moaned, shaking his head. He just wanted it to go away. He just wanted silence. He'd give anything.

 _Let go_ , the voice demanded. _Or you will die._

" _Shut up_!" Osomatsu yelled. " _Shut up! Leave me alone_!"

"I ... It's me," the fragile voice sounded.

Just for a moment, Osomatsu remembered - the voice. That voice. That kind, soft voice. He'd heard it before. He knew him, he knew who it belonged to, that voice was...

"I don't -"

"Choromatsu," he whispered, looking up. That was the name. He stared at the winged person in front of him. His eyes widened with hope, and he crouched down in front of him.

Osomatsu's heart almost stopped. Choromatsu. Of course it was Choromatsu! It was Choromatsu, so why had he thought -

"Yes, yes!" Choromatsu said, reaching out with his arms. "It's me. Are you –"

"He's going to kill me, Choromatsu," Osomatsu said quietly, afraid that the voice would hear him. "If I don't do as he says, it's going to consume me, I can't ... I can't control it."

"Who? Who's telling you this?" Choromatsu asked

"The voice," he whispered. "It says I have to- It says I have to let go. I'll die if I don't let go."

"Don't," Choromatsu said, taking his hand carefully. Osomatsu let him, though he was weary. This was Choromatsu... This was Choromatsu. He was safe with him. He felt bad for ever forgetting him. "We don't know what this is yet. It could be Tougou."

The name was like a blade in his stomach. "He's not here," he said, looking around himself. He wasn't in Hell anymore. Tougou wasn't here. He was safe. He was safe. "He ... He can't do that?"

"He's much stronger now," Choromatsu said. "If he managed to kill Lucifer-"

He didn't hear what he said after that. The voice in his head exploded, and Osomatsu was sure that he'd never hear or see anything again. He threw his head backwards, the agony ripping more screams out of him. He held onto Choromatsu's hand as if his life depended on it. " _Go away_!" he cried. Another jolt of pain shredded his body, and suddenly he could no longer breathe.

His body was stiff. His eyes were fixed on nothing. He couldn't move. He couldn't do anything. Choromatsu talked to him, but he couldn't answer. He wanted to tell him that he was okay, but he didn't understand what was going on. He didn't know if he was okay. Maybe this was what it was like to die. Maybe he wasn't okay at all.

But then, Choromatsu put his hands on his cheeks, and, miraculously, he could breathe again. His body stopped hurting, and he felt his muscles relax. For a blissful moment, he thought he was free, but then he noticed something was off.

His arms moved by themselves, taking a hold of Choromatsu's hands, then threw them away as if he found it disgusting to be touched by him.

"Stand back, goddess," his voice snarled.

Osomatsu tried speaking when Choromatsu scrambled away, confusion and hurt in his eyes. He didn't understand. What was going on? Why was his body moving without asking him for permission first? His body stood, and his eyes looked around the room. Everyone was there – Choromatsu, Todomatsu, Jyushimatsu, Ichimatsu and Karamatsu. All of them looked beaten up. His gaze landed on Todomatsu, and when Todomatsu saw him, his eyes widened, and he stumbled forward, kneeling in front of him.

Osomatsu wanted to scream. _Why are you kneeling?_

"O- Osomatsu?" Choromatsu's voice sounded from behind him.

His body turned to him. "I am not Osomatsu," he said.

 _What was going on?_

Choromatsu stared at him in confusion, before his face contorted with anger. "Who are you? What did you do to him?" he snarled.

"Shut up, Choromatsu," Todomatsu hissed.

Choromatsu glanced at him, before he looked back at Osomatsu. Then, his eyes widened with awe, and for a moment it looked like he was going to kneel too. But then he frowned, raising his head.

"You're …" he started. "You're Lucifer."

Osomatsu's mind was spinning. Lucifer. _Lucifer_? He wasn't Lucifer! He was Osomatsu! But his body didn't say that. His body wasn't doing what it wanted it to do, his body –

His body … His body was possessed. By _Lucifer._

"I am," his voice said. _Lucifer_ said. "And you are Choromatsu."

Osomatsu thought he knew what to do, although he'd never been on this end of a possession before. It was horrible. He didn't like it one bit. He almost felt sorry for everyone he'd ever possessed, but at least he somewhat knew what to do.

 _Lucifer!_ he thought loudly. He didn't get any answer. _What the Hell is going on?_

"Do you know me?" Choromatsu asked cautiously. "A lot of people seem to do."

Osomatsu felt his lips curl into a smile. "Did you have fun in your lake?" he asked. Osomatsu felt something weird – some kind of sadistic glee, mixed with … bitterness? It took him a moment to realize that this was not his own emotions – it was Lucifer's.

 _Do you know him?_ Osomatsu demanded. Still no answer.

"What do you mean?" Choromatsu asked. He sounded terrified, but also aggravated, which Osomatsu could fully relate too. He too was terrified and aggravated. He also felt a little bit … flattered? It's not every day Satan decides to possess your body. Though, he definitely could've lived without.

"That's not important," Lucifer said. "You wish to defeat the devil called Tougou, do you not?" His eyes glanced at Todomatsu again. "Stand, demon."

Todomatsu scrambled to his feet. It was obvious that he was scared stiff. Osomatsu felt anger bubble up in him, and he was about to tell Lucifer to go fuck himself, but then he remembered that it was Lucifer, and he would probably be killed if he did that. Even _he_ wasn't that careless.

"We do," Choromatsu said. "We're trying to make the Heavens prepare to fight. Tougou seems to know what he's doing, from what I know."

Irritation came from Lucifer. "I am afraid he does," he said. "He is much stronger than anyone expected. But he is not fit for the throne. Someone who is strong enough has to stop him before it is too late."

A new feeling washed over him, but Osomatsu couldn't quite decipher what it was. Though it felt a lot like sadness.

"Too late for what?" Ichimatsu suddenly said. Osomatsu hadn't expected him to attract the attention to him like that. Lucifer turned to him, tilting his head to the side. There was a kind of fondness in the next words he said. "The Reaper," he said. "Who used to be an angel. I am … surprised that you broke the Ancient Laws to save one of mine. I certainly hope you were aware that that is a punishable crime."

Ichimatsu blinked. "I … knew. Somewhat," he mumbled.

"But you do not know what the punishment is."

Yet another emotion appeared, and finally it was an emotion Osomatsu recognized: Mischief.

Ichimatsu looked at him steadily. "No. I just wanted to save him."

Ichimatsu … Osomatsu suddenly felt warm.

Lucifer felt content. "Well," he said. "The punishment for breaking the Laws is losing the ability to die."

 _What_?

"What?" Ichimatsu echoed, his voice rising just a little in pitch. "I thought that came with the whole Reaper-package?

"It's a common belief, because most of them end up breaking the Laws early in their lives as Reapers," he said.

Osomatsu felt his heart drop. Ichimatsu could've avoided what they thought was unavoidable, but he threw that away, to save him. Again, even if he hadn't had a chance to make him change his mind, it was Osomatsu's fault that he now would never be able to end his life, no matter how many centuries he ended up walking the Earth.

He felt sick, so wrapped up in that same guilt that was all too familiar by now, that he almost didn't catch what Lucifer said next.

"Though you didn't break any Laws by saving him," he said, and Osomatsu got a strange feeling that Lucifer wasn't only talking to Ichimatsu now. He was talking to him too. "The moment you decided to become a Reaper with the intention of fighting against Hell, you chose a side, and the curse was put upon you immediately when you stepped out of the lake."

Lucifer was planning something. He didn't know what, but he could feel his anticipation.

"However," he continued. "If you help me, I will raise the curse, as a reward."

Ichimatsu stared at him, and for a few seconds, nobody said anything. The last person Osomatsu thought would speak up, spoke up.

"He- Help-" Karamatsu stammered, stepping forward. He was visibly shaking. Osomatsu felt his heart drop again. "Help you how?"

Karamatsu … Osomatsu wanted to break out of this possession somehow, immediately. He didn't know how, but he had to get his body back. He had to say something to him, just – just _something._ But what? What could he possibly say to make things better? Karamatsu – Karamatsu hated him. For good reason, too. There was nothing he could say to make things better, but he had to at _least_ apologize again. He didn't know when he'd started to care so much about him. He didn't know when he'd become able to care so much at all, but he knew he did now. It was horrible and exhausting, but he knew he did.

Lucifer felt disgust. "I believe you and Osomatsu have some things to talk about," he said.

Osomatsu wanted to punch his own face, and thus simultaneously Lucifer's. _Shut up!_ he snapped, momentarily forgetting that he was speaking to his king. _Mind your own damn business!_

Karamatsu's mouth opened in surprise, and what, hope? Osomatsu gave a groan, the urge to bang his head against a wall becoming stronger by the second. Why was he like this? _Why was he like this?_

"R- Really?" was all he managed to say to that.

"Anyway," Lucifer said, rolling his eyes, before addressing everyone in the room. "Tougou is not fit for the throne because he wishes to disrupt the balance between the worlds. He was right when he said that without the Surface, the Heavens will have no purpose, but what he does not realize is that without the Heavens, Hell will also lose that. One cannot disappear while the other two keeps on living. Hell needs a king that will maintain this balance."

He sounded so pompous and arrogant. He had reason to be, as he had after all been the king of Hell since the beginning. It seemed he still wasn't tired of that position. Osomatsu could understand – being king was probably pretty chill.

"What do you need us for?" Choromatsu asked. "What do you need Osomatsu for?"

"Osomatsu," he said, his voice remaining cold and levelheaded, but his emotions lighting up with something that could remind of excitement. Maybe even anxiety. "is the only one who can defeat him."

It took a few seconds before Osomatsu registered that.

 _What?_ he screeched, his mind spinning. _What? Are you_ crazy _, old man? I can't do that! I haven't even killed a simple angel in, like, ten years! What do you expect of me? Hello –_

"Are you sure?" Todomatsu asked, and for once, Osomatsu didn't take offence.

 _No, he's not sure! You're not sure, Lucifer! I've been sitting on my ass for the last decade! You're making a mistake, but- but that's okay, it happens to the best of us, right? Yo, Lucifer, you –_

Lucifer chuckled.

 _What the fuck, dude?_ Osomatsu would throw up the second he got his body back. _This isn't funny! I didn't even know you could laugh!_

"Yes, but not without help," he said. "Alerting the Heavens was a good choice. They will help you. I will help you too. I have lent Osomatsu some of my power, but as you have seen, he is still too weak to contain it. You have to find me, or else it will become too much for him."

Osomatsu _needed_ to punch something. _Is that why I've been thinking I was dying for the last – I don't even know how long! If I'm too weak to contain your power, then how the_ fuck _do you think I'll defeat Tougou? This is ridiculous! I don't want your power! Take it back!_

Lucifer was annoyed. Maybe he could annoy him to do what he wanted. It had worked before with other people, one of them being Choromatsu, when he lured him out of his lake.

"You knew this when you forced your power on him?" Choromatsu asked. "What if we don't find you? Will he die?"

 _Fuck this! I'm not going to die!_

"Yes," Lucifer said. "And yes."

Osomatsu groaned.

"How could you do that?" Choromatsu demanded, taking a step forward. "You can't _force_ anyone to work for you."

Lucifer's annoyance suddenly doubled, and the next second, Choromatsu was knocked to the ground. Osomatsu got flashbacks to when he spoke to the angels, and under normal circumstances, he would've enjoyed the way the tables had turned, but not when it was Choromatsu, and not when he wasn't able to protect him the way he had with him.

"How dare you speak to me like that," Lucifer said. Osomatsu was getting real tired of hearing his own voice speak to his friends like they were vermin. "What I do with the devils and demons of Hell is my decision. You should be happy I have not punished him for breaking the rules by becoming friends with _you._ "

Osomatsu felt hot and cold at the same time.

Choromatsu groaned. "If he dies," he said. "Who will defeat Tougou then?"

"You will find me," Lucifer said. "Osomatsu will guide you."

 _How the Hell will I guide them when I don't know where the fuck to go?_

"In Hell?" Choromatsu asked, looking up at him through his bangs. His eyes were shimmering with green, as they often did when he got angry or upset. "Jyushimatsu and I can't go down there."

"You can now," Lucifer said. "You have my permission. I cannot stay in this body much longer. You have two weeks to find me, and you _must_ find me. Or else your plan will fail. Do you understand me?"

Choromatsu suddenly snapped his head up, the magic holding him down dissolving. He stumbled to his feet not-so-elegantly. Osomatsu would've commented on how cute the embarrassed blush on his cheeks was, if he had had the control of his own damn mouth. "Are you telling the truth?" he asked.

Lucifer was amused. "I would not lie about this," he said, and it was true. Osomatsu could feel it.

"About this," Choromatsu repeated, narrowing his eyes. He had reason to be suspicious. He was talking to the father of lies after all.

Lucifer ignored him. "Good luck," he said, then closed his eyes.

Osomatsu wasn't ready when the heaviness of his own body came back to him, and his knees buckled beneath him. The exhaustion from before came rushing back like a tidal wave. Then he felt arms wrap around him, and he immediately recognized them as Choromatsu's. Osomatsu groaned, then blinked his eyes open, and saw that he was surrounded by his brothers. Damn, he sounded like Karamatsu for a moment. He was affecting him, it seemed. Either way, he felt warm in his chest.

He lifted his arms experimentally, turning them around in front of his eyes. "Did I just …" he started. His throat ached when he spoke. "… get possessed?"

Choromatsu sent him a worried look. "You did," he said.

He stared at Choromatsu. For a split second, his mind raised. Choromatsu had been standing in front of him all along when he lost control, but for some reason he hadn't recognized him as Choromatsu, even if he looked exactly like him. He'd thought he'd seen someone else, for whatever reason. He'd thought he'd seen … And when he thought about it, the similarities was …

No. That was crazy. Better keep quiet about it too, to not worry the others. They would think he was going bonkers.

Osomatsu tried swallowing, but his throat was dry. He ignored the thought for now. " _I_ got possessed?" he asked instead. The irony was a little too strong for his liking.

"You sure did," Todomatsu said.

"By _Lucifer,_ " he muttered.

Choromatsu stroked his back softly. "How do you feel?" he asked.

He felt like he was going to throw up. "I think I … I want to apologize to everyone who has ever been possessed," he said, and it was almost true. He struggled to stand up. "Because that was incredibly …"

He caught sight of Karamatsu, standing a bit behind the others, looking kind of torn, as if he wanted to come near him, while simultaneously felt disgusted by him. Osomatsu's mouth fell open, but he didn't know what to say. All those thoughts from before, about saying something to him, about apologizing – they were just words after all. He had no idea what to say or do. It didn't seem like Karamatsu knew either.

"I have to go," Ichimatsu suddenly mumbled, and quickly shuffled out of the room.

Osomatsu blinked. "Uh …" he started, then glanced around himself for some kind of support. Like _what_? He had no idea. None at all. He ended up staring at the floor.

"Osomatsu-niisan," Jyushimatsu piped up. He looked at him, and saw that he was smiling, as always. "Karamatsu-niisan probably doesn't want me to say this but you should know anyway. When Todomatsu and Ichimatsu-niisan saved you, Todomatsu was possessing Karamatsu-niisan's body. Weren't you, Totty?"

Osomatsu once again felt cold, but at the same time warm. From flattery? From anger? From confusion? He didn't know. He looked at Karamatsu. Why was he like this? He'd come after him. _Karamatsu_ had come after him, after he'd fucking told him he'd killed his parents. Why? He had to hate him. He _deserved_ to be hated. So why the fuck did he come to save him?

"Um … Yes," Todomatsu said. "Because Karamatsu couldn't just walk around like …"

He barely noticed that Todomatsu stopped talking when Karamatsu met his eyes.

Osomatsu tried ignoring the way the back of his eyes were stinging. "You came after me?" he asked.

Karamatsu swallowed. "Yes," he said.

"Why?"

Karamatsu averted his eyes for a moment, then looked back. "It's in my nature to forgive," he said.

Unexpected anger lit up in his chest, and he took a shaking step towards him. "That's bullshit," he said. Nobody was like that. That was just some of that painful, flowery stuff Karamatsu said to make himself seem a certain way. Nobody was that good. Nobody would could just forgive something like this.

Karamatsu took a step back from him, his eyes beginning to shine. There was anger and fear in his eyes. That's it, Osomatsu thought. Be angry. Be furious.

"The Bible says –" he started, but Osomatsu wouldn't even let him finish that idiotic sentence.

"I don't give a fuck about what the _Bible_ says!" he snarled. Or, he tried to snarl, but his voice was too broken to speak loudly. "I want to hear what _you_ say. I want to hear you speak outside of what _God_ has told you to do. Why did you come after me?"

"Osomatsu, calm down," Choromatsu said. "You're going to exhaust yourself."

Osomatsu ignored him. He stared at Karamatsu, waiting for an answer. He just looked confused. When he opened his mouth, no words came out.

Osomatsu shook his head, forcing himself to speak through the lump in his throat. "I don't understand," he said, the anger him dissolving as if it had never been there. "Don't you hate me?"

Karamatsu pressed his lips together, then looked to the ground. Seconds went by without anyone saying anything.

"Excuse me," Karamatsu then muttered, then turned on his heel and walked out of the room.

Osomatsu stared after him, before his knees started bobbling, and he sat heavily down on the bed. He looked at nothing in particular in front of him, his mind spinning with confusion, before he grimaced, dragging his nails over his face, then hit the wall beside him. Why had _he_ gotten angry? Why was Karamatsu the one getting yelled at?

" _Fuck_!" he hissed, pulling at his hair.

Why was he like this?

"Osomatsu …" Choromatsu started, but Osomatsu jerked away from him when he tried to touch him.

"Why does he put up with me?" he whispered, exasperation mixing with the confusion and anger. "I killed his parents. I _killed_ his _parents._ And what does he do? He goes to fucking Hell for me. Why does he do that? Why is he like that?

"That's just the way Karamatsu is," Jyushimatsu said. "He's stupidly good."

Osomatsu scoffed. "He's a fucking idiot."

"Takes one to know one," Todomatsu mumbled.

Choromatsu sat down beside him, but not close enough to make him uncomfortable. "Why does that make you angry?" he asked.

Osomatsu stared at his lap. "I don't know," he mumbled. "I just get angry, because he – he's just too good for his own good, I don't –" He shook his head. "I don't know."

"Maybe your brain doesn't know how to deal with the guilt you feel, so it chooses to feel anger instead," Jyushimatsu suggested, getting befuddled looks from everyone. Who would think Jyushimatsu was the expert on human emotions.

And these emotions _were_ human, because he was definitely not supposed to be feeling them.

Osomatsu's shoulders sank. "I …" he started, the words momentarily getting stuck in his throat. "I care about him. If I knew who he was when I met him the first time, I would've told him. I wouldn't have cared. But when I found out, I was just starting to accept that … maybe …"

"That maybe you _were_ able to care about someone like that," Choromatsu finished. "Even a priest."

His words was annoyingly accurate.

"It just made everything a whole lot more difficult," Osomatsu said. "And it's unforgivable. I shouldn't care, but I do. I don't know what to do. I don't know how to deal with this. And –" He suddenly whipped his head to Choromatsu. "And it shouldn't be _me_ that you're comforting! Where did he go?"

"I don't think Karamatsu needs comforting right now," Jyushimatsu said.

Osomatsu stared at him, before he groaned. He tried falling back on the bed, but then his newly grown wings twisted uncomfortably, and he sat up again with a yelp. He sent them a scowl. "Stupid fucking –"

"Osomatsu?" a new voice said, making him jump. He turned his eyes towards it, and saw the familiar face of Matsuyo standing in the doorway. She was looking at him with a mix of worry and fascination.

"Matsuyo," he said. "What are you doing here?"

Ichimatsu followed closely behind her. He hadn't noticed it the last time, but Ichimatsu seemed very comfortable with the woman. And Ichimatsu wasn't that comfortable with anyone, so that had to mean that he'd known her for a long time.

"We came back to the house," she said. "But you were gone. We found you here. I asked Ichimatsu if you'd managed to free Karamatsu's parents. Where is he?"

Osomatsu swallowed, averting his eyes. "He, uh …" he started, but didn't know what to say.

"He's in the bathroom," Choromatsu said, standing up. "He'll probably be back soon. Are you alone?"

Matsuyo nodded. "I managed to convince them that it was safe, as nothing bad happened the last time I was with you," she said, sending him a soft smile. "I must apologize for my partner. He was acting horribly. You didn't deserve that, Osomatsu."

He sent her a look. "Debatable," he said. "Anyway. I freed Karamatsu's parents, so what more do you need?"

She studied him, before walking over, sitting down at the other side of the bed. Choromatsu moved to stand by the wall instead, not too far from Osomatsu. "Ichimatsu told me some worrisome things," she said. "And I can't help but notice your new …" She looked at the wings.

The attention made Osomatsu feel just a little bit uncomfortable. "They're pretty cool, right?" he asked, giving a weak grin.

Karamatsu appeared in the doorway again, looking the same except his hair was a bit tidier than before. Osomatsu pretended not to see him.

"Osomatsu," Matsuyo said. "Do you think you're able to tell me what happened?"

Osomatsu stared at her. Tell her? Able to? Of course he was. Remembering it won't be nearly as bad as experiencing it, right?

"Maybe not right –" Choromatsu started, but Osomatsu sent him a look that told him to shut up.

"I can," he said, turning back to Matsuyo. The memories of feeling a blade pierce through his back flashed in his head, and then to when he first woke up in the torture chamber. The anxiety and fear and confusion came back to him, clear as day. Suddenly he felt ill, his heart speeding up in his chest. He looked away. "I can… try, at least."

"Don't strain yourself," Matsuyo said kindly.

What the hell? Who was she to treat him like that? Osomatsu sent her a look, the same feeling from the last time he met her rushing over him. He didn't know how, but he felt safe with her. What was it? What was that feeling? He looked away. He couldn't dwell on that now. He could ask Choromatsu about it later. Or Ichimatsu, since he seemed to know her.

"Well," he stared, and tried to clear his voice. As before, it didn't do much. "After I came back from …" He stopped again as the first memory played in front of his eyes. He gritted his teeth, bowed his head and tried to blink the pictures away before he continued. Karamatsu. Karamatsu was listening, and he couldn't even bring himself to say "after I came back from freeing Karamatsu's parents". He was a fucking coward.

"I was knocked out," he continued. "And when I woke up, I was … I was in this dark room, and my hands were in shackles." He tried not thinking while he spoke, and stared into the air emptily. "And my feet were molded into cement. When I woke up, I –" He scoffed laughingly, mentally scolding himself for his stupidity. "I tried calling for help. Because I'm an idiot, obviously. The guards heard it, of course, so they alerted T- Tougou."

When Choromatsu took a step towards him, he shook his head. He didn't need to be comforted. He could do something as simple as this.

"It's okay," he said, then cleared his throat again. "When he came, he told me that he was way more powerful than he used to be, and that everything was going as planned. He told me that he'd gained magic we devils shouldn't even be able to use. Holy magic, that is." He sent Matsuyo a confused look.

Matsuyo looked bewildered, but there was a light in her eyes that told Osomatsu she might have an idea of what he meant. "What kind of magic?" she asked.

"I don't know all of it, I think," Osomatsu said, looking thoughtfully down to his lap. The feeling of skin etching echoed in his mind. "But I passed out at one point, and he woke me by throwing water on me. I don't remember exactly what I said to him, but he didn't like it. Then he somehow managed to turn …" Pictures suddenly flashed in front of his eyes, and he clenched his eyes shut. He could hear his own screaming on repeat, and the memory of the pain was suddenly not so faint anymore.

"Osomatsu –" Choromatsu started.

"No!" Osomatsu growled, forcing himself to breathe. "I said I'm okay." He shook his head, then looked up at the ceiling. He was here. He was safe. He was with his family. "He turned the water into holy water," he finished. He exhaled, trying to relax.

"I see," Matsuyo said slowly. "That's… bad. Did anything else happen?"

Osomatsu nodded. "He kept talking about how we was going to take over everything and all that, and that he'd already started taking over parts of the Surface, and that Choromatsu was- was dead. That was a lie, obviously, so I don't know what else he said might be lies." A couple of thoughts came to him at that, and he looked at Matsuyo, then to Choromatsu. He felt ill again. "is it … Is it true that Karamatsu's church …"

Choromatsu looked down to his feet. "It was attacked," he said. "I don't know if they were possessed or just bad people, but … they set fire to the church, while Karamatsu was inside. They, uh …" He bit his lip.

Osomatsu's mouth was dry. "What?"

"They set fire to it because I'm a devil worshipper, apparently," Karamatsu said. The coolness in his voice almost made Osomatsu jump. It turned his blood to ice, and he slowly moved his eyes to him. He was looking back at him, face hard and empty of emotion. "Not sure who figured that out, but I don't think Choromatsu was the only ethereal being they sensed that day."

But the soul binding – it was supposed to hide him. It should have been enough. Nobody could have –

Oh. _Shit._

"The old lady," Osomatsu muttered. "She wasn't praying, she was …" He clenched his eyes shut. _Fuck!_ He shook his head. He'd done it. He managed to ruin everything good around him. Couldn't he do anything right? "I'm … sorry. It's all my fault," was all he managed to say. It sounded pathetic.

Karamatsu didn't say anything for several seconds. When the words came, Osomatsu wasn't surprised: "It's not your fault," he said. His voice sounded genuine. He sounded forgiving. But maybe that was just the way he was taught to sound like. "You were only trying to help."

He looked up at him through his bangs. For a moment, he felt hope. He knew he didn't at all deserve it. But it was there, just for a moment. Then he saw Karamatsu's face. It was still cold, but his lips were pressed tightly together, as if he could break down any moment. He didn't deserve his forgiveness, he reminded himself. Why didn't Karamatsu understand that?

He looked away from him, looking firmly at Matsuyo instead. "There was something he said," he continued. "About Choromatsu. He said he knew him. More than I do, and more than Choromatsu does himself. Maybe he was lying, but … he said that he was special or different or something. What did he mean by that?"

Choromatsu quickly joined in. "There's been people recognizing me as well," he said. "People I've never seen before treating me like they know me from somewhere. I am aware that they know things about me that I don't, things that they aren't authorized to tell me. I don't understand."

Matsuyo was smiling. "Maybe you'll know soon," she said, looking apologetic. "I'm afraid I can't help you there either."

"But it's confusing," Osomatsu said, remembering what he'd seen when he'd lost control, before Lucifer possessed him. "Right before I – Just before you arrived, I wasn't myself. I lost control. And in that moment, I looked at Choromatsu, and I saw …" He trailed of, the sounds around him suddenly becoming dull. He'd seen someone. He hadn't seen Choromatsu, he'd seen …

He scrunched his face up, and started shaking his head again. "You're crazy, you're going crazy," he hissed through gritted teeth, too quiet for anyone else to hear. He covered his face with his hands. _Get it together. You didn't see anything. You didn't see anything._

He felt Choromatsu's hands on his arms, and his calm voice broke through the chaos in his head. "Osomatsu," he said. "Take deep breaths. You're still safe. You don't have to talk about this. Just breathe."

He couldn't do anything but nod, trying to stop the jerking movements his body was making as his heart hammered painfully against his ribs. He could feel his body changing, and he desperately tried telling himself that he was safe, but for whatever stupid reason, his brain just didn't understand that. His breath was erratic, and it took him several minutes before he managed to calm down and remove his hands form his face.

He took a few last deep breaths. "Sorry," he murmured, glancing up. He'd lost control for no reason. It kept happening too. Was he really this weak now? "It's… harder than I thought."

"Are you sure you can continue?" Choromatsu asked. "It's okay if you can't."

"It really is," Matsuyo said. "Don't push yourself."

"It's not much to say," Osomatsu mumbled. He inhaled deeply, then let it out in a sigh. He guessed he could leave the repetitive torture out for now. "He told me Lucifer was dead. That was a lie, _obviously_." He wrinkled his nose, not sure how he felt about the big man anymore. Not that he'd felt so strongly about him before anyway, but now it definitely wasn't good feelings.

"Lucifer –" Matsuyo said, folding her hands. She sounded nervous. Choromatsu's voice from the day he met him in the lake echoed in Osomatsu's mind: _Names have power, you know._ "He possessed your body?"

He blinked at her. How did she know that? He sent Ichimatsu a look, and he shrugged. "Yes," he said slowly, then looked back to Matsuyo. "He did. I realize now that if I'd just listened to him from the beginning, I wouldn't have had to go through a lot of what Tougou did to me."

Matsuyo tilted her head to the side. "How so?"

 _Oh, here it goes._ He reached forward, closing his eyes, and Choromatsu, who was still sitting on the floor in front of him, took his hand almost immediately. It brought a smile to his lips. Then he frowned. "After Tougou had … had tortured me for a while, I started hearing a voice, though my mind was kind of fucked up back then, so I didn't think much about that at all. I thought maybe it was someone talking in the distance, or just my brain playing tricks on me, or… I don't really know." He paused when the images started to get too vivid, and took a deep breath. "But as he continued, as I became weaker, the voice became louder. I thought I was going crazy. When Tougou told me –" He abruptly stopped, remembering how the story went. He'd lost control when Tougou told him Choromatsu was dead – and that just sounded way too sappy for him _not_ to be embarrassed about it. No, he couldn't say that. "He told me something that triggered… something in me, or whatever. I managed to break free, and I attacked Tougou, knocking him out for long enough to escape."

"What did he say?" Matsuyo asked.

Osomatsu sent her a look. "Is that really important?"

"It could be a trigger word," she said. "Something that makes you lose control. It's good to be aware of, isn't it?"

"It's nothing like that," Osomatsu tried, looking down in his lap. When he glanced up again, everyone was eyeing him curiously. He sighed, averting his eyes again. "It was when he told me Choromatsu was dead."

In his peripheral vision, he could see Choromatsu lift his head to look at him. Silence followed. Osomatsu felt his face heat up.

"That's really flattering," Choromatsu said quietly. He glanced at him, and saw that he wore a playful smile.

"Shut up, Cherrymatsu," he retorted, fighting the smile playing at his own lips. Then he shook his head a little, focusing on his story again. "Anyway. As I was running, he spoke to me, but in that hazy state I didn't understand that he was trying to help. In a way. It wasn't before Todomatsu and Ichimatsu s –" He paused momentarily, remembering what Jyushimatsu had said. "…and Karamatsu saved me and I woke up again here that I started to realize what was going on."

"What did Lucifer want?" Matsuyo asked.

Osomatsu hesitated, then sent Choromatsu a questioning look. Choromatsu nodded. "He… wanted us to find him," he said. "Or else his power will kill me."

Matsuyo's eyes widened. "Kill you? And who is 'us'?"

Osomatsu shrugged. "The six of us, I guess? He gave Choromatsu and Jyushimatsu permission to enter Hell or something." Though the thought of dragging them all into the mess he'd created didn't at all sound tempting to him. He rather wanted to just go there himself and hope for the best. Cross that bridge when he got to it, isn't that what they liked to say? But he knew that would be impossible. Both for him to do it alone, and also because the other five would protest. Those fucking idiots. "He lent me his powers. That's how I got these." He pointed to his wings. "That's also why I feel like I'm burning up, I think. We've got two weeks to find him, and he said that if we don't, our mission will fail."

"He also said Osomatsu would know where he is," Choromatsu added. He turned to him. "What do you know about that, Osomatsu?"

Osomatsu couldn't do anything but shrug. "I have no idea what he meant," he answered honestly.

"That's not good," Todomatsu muttered. Jyushimatsu made an agreeing sound.

Osomatsu then had a thought. It made his body go cold again. "I have a feeling that I have to go back to Hell to find out," he said. His head started spinning just by the mere thought of going there again. And probably alone first, to find out if he had the right idea. "But I don't … I can't go back there."

Matsuyo stood up, attracting Osomatsu's attention to her. "You have two weeks," she said. "You don't have to go back yet, in that case. I think you've been through enough for the Heavens to make them trust you. At least enough to make them get to work. I have a proposition for you." She looked around herself, anticipation in her smile. "For all of you, that is."

"And what is that?" Osomatsu asked.

He barely caught the uncertainty in her eyes, before she smiled again. "I want you to come with me to the Heavens."

Osomatsu was finally able to explore the house after convincing Choromatsu that no, he wasn't going to lose control, he only did that because of Lucifer, and having Lucifer possess his body and then leave was like pulling out a painful splinter. It was all good now.

Well. His body still hurt. He felt Lucifer's power in him, but it was more like a slow buzzing right now. It felt unnatural, and he knew that if he got into a fight now, it might erupt, and he might lose control. Which made what he said to Choromatsu kind of a lie, but he was a devil, so he could afford that.

He walked down the stairs, then went out into the living room, which he barely remembered from the first time he'd woken up. He was careful not to bump into anything with his wings, which he still hadn't learned to control, so sometimes they would just randomly expand, or randomly retract, and he didn't really know what triggered it. He wanted to try to use them, but right now he was too tired.

Choromatsu had healed the last of his wounds, but when Lucifer possessed his body, many of them disappeared by themselves. He guessed Lucifer had a faster healing factor than anyone else.

But what he really needed right now was some fresh air. He'd really missed the clean air of the Surface now. Everything in Hell was so dirty and warm and stuffy. He hated it.

He walked to the front door, but when he got to the hallway, he saw that a part of the wall was completely blown away. How the police hadn't been alerted of the havoc he didn't know, but he had a dreadful suspicion of what it could be. Demons were deceivers, after all. They could've tricked them into not coming to their rescue, although humans couldn't do much rescuing when it came to demons anyway. Osomatsu knew they didn't have too long before the demons came back. They had to leave.

But then again, they **were** gonna leave. To the _Heavens_ , of all places. He was a little nervous, to say the least.

He walked through the front door instead of the hole in the wall. The porch was dirty, and here and there lay white feathers. Osomatsu chuckled, picking one of them up. Maybe the owner of this house could have them as a souvenir. If he was religious. Well, he probably was now, considering the circumstances. And either way, if he was a friend of Karamatsu, he was probably religious anyway –

Speak of the devil – that expression didn't really work in their case, did it? His train of thought stopped when he rounded the corner of the house, and saw that Karamatsu was sitting there with his back against the wall. Upon his arrival, Karamatsu jumped, looking up at him. Osomatsu stiffened, his eyes darting around, looking for some kind of reason for him to run off, but of course there were none.

He tried swallowing, but his mouth had gone dry. "Hey," he said lamely.

Karamatsu stared at him for a moment, then stood up. "Sorry," he said, averting his eyes. "This is awkward. I should go –"

"No, don't!" Osomatsu said before he could stop himself. Karamatsu sent him a look. He faltered. "A- Actually I don't know …" He looked to his feet for a moment. "Karamatsu, I –"

"I already told you I forgive you," Karamatsu said. He sounded so awfully genuine. Osomatsu clenched his jaw, but kept his irritation at bay. "You didn't know about me when you did what you did. And you did what you did because you were following the orders of someone else. Then you were kind enough to go save them. I bear no grudge."

Osomatsu looked back at him. "I killed your parents," he said. Karamatsu looked at him blankly. "And I dragged you into this fucking mess. I made the people in your town think you're a devil worshipper. I made them burn down your church. I made you go through _literal_ Hell, and you just _forgive me_?"

Karamatsu swallowed. "Osomatsu," he said. "It will do me no good to hate you. Just let me forgive you."

"But you don't want to," Osomatsu said, taking a step forward. He gritted his teeth when Karamatsu took a step back. "You don't want to forgive me, you just _want_ to want to forgive me, right? Because that is the noble thing to do, or whatever bullshit you were saying. Don't you understand that sometimes people don't _deserve_ that?"

Karamatsu's brows knit together. "Why are you getting angry about this?" he asked, his voice hardening. "Shouldn't you be happy?"

"No, I'm not happy!" Osomatsu shouted heatedly. "Why do you keep letting me off the hook like this? I _know_ you're angry, but you won't let yourself act on it, because of that _stupid_ centuries old book! It doesn't make you noble, it just makes you a fucking –"

Karamatsu suddenly leapt forward, and in the next millisecond, his fist connected with Osomatsu's jaw. The strength in the punch was so surprising, Osomatsu stumbled backwards, and crashed to the ground.

He blinked, then stared round eyed up at Karamatsu. Karamatsu stared back at him just as surprised, then looked at his outstretched arm as if it had acted on its own.

"Oh, God," he muttered.

It stung a little.

Osomatsu brought a hand to his jaw. He searched around in his mouth with his tongue and oh yes, that's what he thought. He spit out a tooth into his hand, and looked at it, completely bewildered. Did Karamatsu do that?

"You're strong," he commented.

"I am so sorry," Karamatsu said, then rushed forward to crouch in front of him. He looked at the tooth with mild disgust. "Oh, _God_."

"Ouch," Osomatsu muttered. Karamatsu snapped his eyes to him worriedly, but Osomatsu just gave laughing scoff. He sent Karamatsu a bitter smile. "How did that feel?" he asked.

Karamatsu sent him a confused look. "I think I broke my finger," he said after a moment, lifting his hand.

Osomatsu wrinkled his nose at the sight. "You should probably take that to Choromatsu," he suggested.

He shook his head slightly. "It doesn't hurt _that_ much."

"Karamatsu."

He looked back at him again. Osomatsu sent him a serious look. He wasn't done with this conversation. "I don't want you to be dishonest about your feelings," he said. "I don't want you to lie to me, nor yourself, nor – nor God. Don't you think I notice that you're hurt?"

Karamatsu swallowed, looking away from him for a moment, before he sat down properly. "Osomatsu," he said. "There's no point. There's no point in holding a grudge. I meant what I said. I _do_ forgive you. But yes, I am angry, and I probably won't forget this for a long time. Maybe not ever. But there's no point in dwelling on that." He looked up, meeting Osomatsu's eyes. "So please don't work yourself up about this. What you did was horrible, yes, but you couldn't control it. I forgive you."

Osomatsu pressed his lips together. He hated that his words were sensible. "Why are you like this?" he asked quietly.

Karamatsu tilted his head to the side. "Like what?"

"Like –" He shook his head. He didn't know which words to use. "Naïve. Or something. You're too … Karamatsu-esque."

"I'll take it as a compliment," Karamatsu said with a short chuckle.

"Karamatsu."

"Hm?"

"I'm … I'm really sorry," Osomatsu said. When the anger subsided, all that was left was the guilt. "I'm sorry that all of this has happened. I'm sorry for what I did. I don't know what to do or say to try to make it better, because I don't think there is a way at all. But I really – I've really –" He swallowed. "I do … really care about you. Which just makes this a real fucking pain in the ass."

Karamatsu was quiet for a long time. After a few seconds, Osomatsu looked up. He was looking downwards, his lips pressed tightly together. His eyes were brimming with tears.

"Karamatsu?" Osomatsu asked worriedly. What had he done wrong now?

Karamatsu shook his head, and clenched his eyes shut. The tears rolled down his cheeks. "I'm sorry," he mumbled, quickly wiping them away.

Osomatsu blinked confusedly. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No," he answered. "No, I just … I'm happy to hear that."

Osomatsu's face felt warm. "I mean it," he said. "It's weird, but I do."

"It's not weird," Karamatsu said, sending him a puzzled look.

"It is for me."

Karamatsu looked at him confusedly, but then laughed. He used his sleeve to wipe the last of the tears away, then cleared his throat. "So, you're right," he said. "I'm angry. Osomatsu, I'm really … I feel horrible. But please don't be angry with me when I say I forgive you. Forgiveness often comes gradually over time, so just… let me say this. I forgive you."

Osomatsu was quiet for a long time before he said anything. When he did, the words fell out of his mouth without asking for his permission first: "You're my family."

Karamatsu gave him a baffled look. "What?"

"All – All five of you, I mean," he said continued. His heart sped up, and he felt clumsy. Again, he felt how useless he was with emotions. "When we sat in the living room and I put my head in your lap and I said that we were all brothers – I meant it. I still mean it. I call Todomatsu my brother, not because we're related, but because we devils don't really have biological families. Not any that matter, anyway. So we find one along the road." He paused, and started fidgeting with his hands. "Usually it's with other demons or devils, but … none of that never really worked for me and Todomatsu, so…"

Karamatsu nodded, carefully at first, but then with more energy. "Yes," he said, a smile gradually spreading on his lips. Osomatsu didn't feel like he deserved that kind of appreciation from him, but then he reminded himself that he wasn't that only one who'd grown up without loving parents. Maybe Karamatsu wanted this as much as he did.

Then his smile turned into a grimace. "But – could we go to Choromatsu? My hand really hurts," he said.

"Oh, fuck," Osomatsu said, then got to his feet. "I forgot about that."

"Yeah, I did too, for a moment," Karamatsu said, taking the hand that Osomatsu offered him. When he got to his feet, he took a step forward, and slid is arms around Osomatsu's shoulders.

Osomatsu blinked, the hug catching him completely off guard. Then, he hesitantly hugged back. "What's this?" he whispered, as if talking too loudly would ruin the moment.

Karamatsu just shook his head. "Thank you," he said. "For apologizing. I know you meant it. And I really want to be your brother."

Speechless, Osomatsu just stood there for a moment, before a grateful grin spread on his face, and he hugged Karamatsu a little bit tighter.


	10. Chapter 10

After Matsuyo left to inform the Heavens of their future visit, a day passed, which was very convenient for everyone. Osomatsu was exhausted, and he knew everyone else was as well. There was only so much healing could do – he and everyone else were healthy physically, but how they were feeling mentally was a whole other matter.

Osomatsu was very grateful that he had Choromatsu. The wings on his back kept getting random grow spurts, which tore the skin around them open, but Choromatsu was always there to heal those wounds.

By now, he thought they'd finally stopped growing. They weren't as big as Choromatsu's, and definitely not as big as Lucifer's, and Osomatsu was wondering if they even were big enough to fly with. Until now, he'd only managed to move them up and down, flapping them uselessly, and it didn't do anything except make him look stupid. He finally understood Choromatsu's struggles.

After trying to actually fly with his wings for about ten minutes without any success, he declared himself finished, to Jyushimatsu's great protests, and went to snoop around the kitchen instead, in search of something to drink – preferably alcoholic.

He snuck past the living room, where Choromatsu was walking around, trying to tidy up the house. Which Osomatsu thought was useless, since it was a big hole in the wall, and that broken vase they'd found on the floor had probably been valuable. What Choromatsu was doing was cleaning up stuff that was already clean, to make up for the troubles – But whoever the owner of this house was, he would most definitely be pissed no matter how many times Choromatsu wiped the imaginary dust off the windowsills.

He walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge as quiet as he possibly could. His eyes immediately landed on the glass bottles in the door, and he gasped before he remembered he had to be quiet. He took one of the bottles out, admiring it like it was the first time he'd ever seen a beer.

"Osomatsu …" Choromatsu's voice came from the door, making him jump. How the hell was he _that_ quiet? Either way, he didn't even sound angry, he just sounded exasperated.

Osomatsu stared at him for a couple of seconds, before he brought the bottle to his mouth and licked it. "I licked it so it's mine now," he informed him.

Choromatsu raised his eyebrows. "How old are you?" he asked.

"Shit, tough question," he answered, grinning. "But sorry, I don't make the rules."

"You can't just take that from Matsuzo!" Choromatsu said, taking a step forward. Osomatsu hid the bottle behind his back, and Choromatsu rolled his eyes. "He's already given enough. Give me the drink."

Osomatsu tilted his head to the side. " _The drink_?" he repeated. "Do you even know what this is?"

Choromatsu blinked. "It's … It's not important," he said. "What matters is that it's not yours."

"No, I licked it, it's mine now."

" _Osomatsu!_ "

He grinned, taking a few steps forward while holding the beer in front of himself. When Choromatsu tried to grab it, he snatched it away again. "You've lived in a lake your whole life," he said. Choromatsu raised his eyebrows as if to ask "you don't say?" but he ignored the sarcasm for now. "Which would mean you've barely tasted anything at all. You hadn't even eaten pizza before. And you haven't been drunk either."

Choromatsu looked even more exasperated now. "Of course not," he said.

"Wait, is drinking a sin?" Osomatsu asked, while popping the cap open with his finger, ignoring the ugly stares he got from Choromatsu.

"Drunkenness is a sin," Choromatsu informed. "Drinking is not. Either way –"

"Hold on – How can drinking not be a sin, while drunkenness is?" he interrupted, bringing the bottle to his nose to breathe in the smell. "Oh, it's been so long …" he sighed dreamily, before taking a step backwards as Choromatsu tried grabbing the bottle again.

Choromatsu gritted his teeth. "A glass of wine during supper isn't a sin, just drink moderately, and why am I telling you this? Just give me the bottle already!"

Osomatsu snickered. "If you want a taste you can just ask," he said, dodging Choromatsu's attempts at taking the beer from him. "It's really good."

"It's not yours!"

"I already opened it, it's too late now anyway!" Osomatsu held the bottle out. "Here, have a taste."

Choromatsu stopped, not prepared for Osomatsu to hold the bottle out so willingly. "No," he said, taking a hold of it. Osomatsu didn't let go.

"What, you're gonna put it back in the fridge?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow. "I'm pretty sure the guy doesn't want this beer anymore. Come on, Choromatsu!" He sent him an encouraging smile. "Just have a taste."

Choromatsu narrowed his eyes. "Why?" he asked. "What are you planning?"

Osomatsu gasped in fake offence. "What do you _think_ of me, why would I ever?" he said, bringing a hand to his mouth. "I just want you to have a few pleasures in your life, that's all. It's not even a sin, as you said. You can't get drunk from just this."

"Osomatsu, why are you –"

"Choromatsu," Osomatsu took a step forward, giving him a serious look. "You've had a rough time. You deserve this. Karamatsu's friend probably won't even be mad."

Choromatsu scowled. "Do you promise not to steal anything more from the fridge?" he asked.

Osomatsu rolled his eyes. "Fine. Only if you taste this, though."

"Fine." Choromatsu took the bottle from him, then brought it to his face. He wrinkled his nose at the smell. Then he put the tip against his lips and took a small sip. His face immediately scrunched up. "It's disgusting! How could anyone like this?"

Osomatsu took the bottle back as if he was offended. "It's an acquired taste," he said. "You should drink some more to get used to it." He grinned again.

If Choromatsu rolled his eyes any more now, Osomatsu thought his eyes would get stuck backwards. "I can't believe you're trying to tempt me into sinning. Isn't that a bit old school?" he said.

Osomatsu shrugged, then tried making his way past him without bumping his wings into anything. "It's an old habit, I guess," he said, then sent him yet another smile. "I feel like I get more points the holier the being is. If I convinced Karamatsu to sin, I wouldn't get as many points as I get if I make _you_ sin. Get it?"

Choromatsu followed him, still with the suspicious look on his face. "Is this a game to you?" he said. "What pleasure do you get from that other than those imaginary points?"

"Stop being a party-pooper," Osomatsu whined, taking a swig of the beer. "It's just what I do."

"It comes with the demon-package or something?" Choromatsu asked.

"Devil," Osomatsu corrected, giving him a look. "And yes. I think so. Though the purpose of our existence is unclear, I think that's a part of it, at least."

Choromatsu scoffed. "That's ridiculous," he said.

They walked out on the porch again. "You're just envious because you can't do whatever you want, because everything is a sin for some – Wait." He stopped in his tracks. "Isn't _envy_ a sin? One of those seven deadly sins, right? _Choromatsu,_ what do I have to _do_ with you?"

"I'm not envious of anything!" Choromatsu argued, fighting a smile. "Stop acting like a child."

Osomatsu sat down on the steps. "I am not acting like a child, I'm –" He stopped when he noticed something weird about the ground. The grass was moving strangely. As if … Oh, of course. He suppressed a smile, put the beer down, then launched himself forward. As expected, his body came in contact with something solid, and right when he hit the ground, Jyushimatsu appeared beneath him.

Jyushimatsu gave a yell that was somewhere between defeat and delight. "So close!" he said, then leaned his head back as he laughed.

Osomatsu grinned, then rolled off him. "Nice try," he said, trying not to be contaminated with Jyushimatsu's laughing. "But you can't catch me off guard."

"Jyushimatsu?" Choromatsu said, sounding just a little bit confused. By now, everyone was pretty used to Jyushimatsu's antics. "What's going on?"

"Did you know," Jyushimatsu said. "Osomatsu-niisan's senses has become stronger too?"

Osomatsu grinned, trying his best to think of his power growth as something exclusively awesome, and not something that might kill him in two weeks. "It's not like you could defeat me before either way, though," he said, dodging Jyushimatsu's elbow.

"I will!" the angel exclaimed determinately. "Just watch!"

"Are you saying that you've been fighting?" Choromatsu asked, sounding like a worried mother. " _Physically_ fighting?"

Osomatsu exchanged glances with Jyushimatsu. "Well," he said. "There haven't been much to do since Matsuyo left. We had to do something to fill the waiting time."

Choromatsu looked like he was about to stand up. "That's dangerous!" he said. "So much could go wrong!"

Osomatsu smiled innocently. "A lot of things can go wrong at all times," he said, waving his hand. He stood up, then sat down beside Choromatsu again. "It's alright, stop worrying so much!" He swung an arm around his shoulders. "You should have some more beer."

" _Osomatsu_!" Choromatsu hissed. "Can you take things serious, for once?"

Osomatsu gave a whine, his head falling backwards. "Can't we take a break from all that serious stuff for once?" he asked. "We've been going none stop for, like, three years now, can't we – "

Choromatsu poked his arm, and he looked back up to see some random person walking on the sidewalk by the house. He was giving them an incredulous look, but when their eyes met, he quickly looked away, and sped. None of them said anything as they watched the man shuffle hurriedly away.

"Ah …" Jyushimatsu said. "That's probably not good."

"We're being way too careless, aren't we?" Osomatsu said, snickered, then took another swig of the beer.

Choromatsu sighed beside him, having seemingly given up on worrying about small things like that.

Someone opened the front door behind them, and Osomatsu leaned his head backward to see who it was. Karamatsu stood there with his hand on the door handle, and he sent him a tired smile. His eyes were still half lidded with drowsiness, and his hair was a little messy. He was wearing the same clothes as yesterday, except they were clean, if only a little bit damp, like he hadn't been patient enough to wait for the dryer to finish.

"Good morning!" Jyushimatsu called, unnecessarily loud. Karamatsu was standing right there.

"Good morning," Karamatsu replied, voice gruff. He cleared his throat. "What are you doing?"

"Did you sleep until now?" Choromatsu asked.

"Beer?" Osomatsu offered, earning a look from Choromatsu.

Karamatsu nodded, then sat down on the other side of Choromatsu. "I thought I was rested yesterday, but …" He shrugged, giving a small smile. "I don't think going to Hell was the best idea."

Osomatsu stiffened a little, and he opened his mouth to say something, but Karamatsu came before him.

"But obviously, I couldn't leave my dear brother behind," he said, brushing his bangs away from his eyes. "It is just what any true friend would do, is it not?"

Jyushimatsu gave a laugh. Osomatsu cleared his throat to disguise his own giggles. "Thanks," he said, not quite succeeding in hiding the amused smile on his lips. He held out the bottle, trying again. "Here, you deserve a beer."

Karamatsu gave him a weird look. "Uh – No thanks, I'll pass," he said.

Osomatsu gestured exasperatedly with his arms. "Jyushimatsu?"

"Ichimatsu-niisan says I get weird when I drink!"

"That's even better then, take –"

Choromatsu elbowed him. "Just drink the beer yourself," he grumbled.

"Why, if you insist," Osomatsu said, sent Choromatsu a devious grin, then turned the bottle upside down. When he'd drunk it all, he let out a content sigh, placed the bottle down beside himself, and ignored Choromatsu's disapproving look. "By the way, where's Totty and Ichimatsu?" he asked.

"Ichimatsu is still sleeping," Karamatsu said. "And I don't know where Todomatsu is."

"He went for a walk!" Jyushimatsu said, plopping down on the ground in front of them.

Choromatsu looked worried again. "Do you think he remembered to hide his tails and horns?" he asked.

"Probably," Osomatsu said. "But we're not the ones to talk right now. We're sitting in front of the house in plain view. I wonder what that guy is thinking …" He leaned forward to look at Choromatsu and Karamatsu, who were both wearing slightly worried expressions. "But you don't really have the energy to care much about that, do you?"

Karamatsu sent him a guilty look, while Choromatsu just looked away. Osomatsu snickered, and stood up.

"Well, he probably just thought we were a little too excited for Halloween, maybe," he said, standing up. His mind went back to when he'd broken that guy's leg and tried eating his soul because he was feeling a little pissy. It felt like ages ago now. He gave a quiet, laughing scoff. "I'm bored," he said, looking first at Choromatsu, as if he was going to do something about it, but then he remembered that Choromatsu was the most boring out of all of them. He turned to Jyushimatsu instead.

Jyushimatsu stared back at him, mouth wide open in a big smile. "I saw a kiddie pool in the garage!"

Osomatsu snapped his fingers. "Yes! Let's –"

"You can't just take out a pool!" Choromatsu protested.

Osomatsu stared at him, then he and Jyushimatsu spoke in unison: "Why?"

He looked lost. "Because," he said slowly. "This is not our house. What do you think?"

Osomatsu pouted. "Karamatsu, what do you think Matsuzo would say?" he asked.

Karamatsu frowned. "He is very, uh … relaxed might not be the right word, but – accepting, I guess … about things he finds weird, and just things in general. I wonder why he has a kiddie pool though." He shrugged. "But he would probably be okay with it. I think."

"It's fine then!" Osomatsu said, then jumped down the steps. "Let's go, Jyushimatsu!"

Jyushimatsu shot to his feet, and they ran off before Choromatsu had the time to protest.

Osomatsu lifted the garage door open, and narrowed his eyes when he scanned the room for the pool. Jyushimatsu stood behind him, and an odd, unfamiliar sensation told him that he was touching his wings. He glanced back at him. "What is it?" he asked, although he was pretty sure Jyushimatsu was only touching them out of curiosity.

"Your wings are really small, Osomatsu-niisan," Jyushimatsu commented. When Osomatsu arched an eyebrow, he retracted his hand. "Maybe they're more for looks than for flying."

Osomatsu turned to him. "Do you mean you think I can't fly?" he asked, the thought unbearably disappointing. He could have gone without these new, improved senses and powers and the wings if he could, but at least the thought of flying made it all a little better. If he didn't even get that, then it was all just shit.

But Jyushimatsu shook his head. "That would have been stupid," he said. "But maybe it's a little magic too. Not just muscles!" He flexed at the word, grinning stupidly.

Osomatsu was confused, but he smiled anyway. "Well, we'll figure that out at one point, probably," he said. "Let's find the kiddie pool first."

By the time they'd dragged out the kiddie pool, blown it up, and found the water hose, Todomatsu had come back from his walk, and was watching them fill the pool with water with feigned disinterest. Karamatsu and Choromatsu were still sitting on the porch, both of them looking like they sat there just because they had nothing to else to do while they waited for Matsuyo to come back.

After about twenty minutes, Osomatsu and Jyushimatsu stood proud in front of their work, while Choromatsu was rolling his eyes fiercely in the background. What a party-pooper.

Osomatsu poked his foot into the water, then retracted it. "Cold!" he hissed, the water temperature almost painful in contrast to the hot summer weather. Then Jyushimatsu made it hard for him to look tough by diving into the water, not even bothering to change out of his toga. Then again, it seemed like the robes he and Choromatsu was wearing were dirt resistant, so they were probably water resistant too, or something.

"Awesome!" Jyushimatsu declared, spreading his limbs to his sides, trying his best to completely submerge himself in water, as the pool was way too small for him.

"Aren't you going in, niisan?" Todomatsu said teasingly from his spot on the porch. Osomatsu sent him a look, then reach behind his neck to drag his shirt off. When it got stuck in his wings, he struggled for a moment, before he managed to drag it off, with only a small portion of discomfort.

When he reached for his pants, Choromatsu made a weird sound. "Don't take off your pants!" he squawked. Osomatsu sent him a weird look.

"Why?"

"It's indecent, of course!"

Osomatsu tilted his head to the side. "Choromatsu," he said, smiling amusedly. "Do you honestly think I, or any of us for that matter, care about that?"

Choromatsu's gaze didn't waver, but his cheeks became just a little bit red. "W- Well … No, but –"

Osomatsu dragged his pants down before he got the time to finish. "Feast your eyes!" he cackled. Choromatsu face palmed, even though Osomatsu was still wearing underpants, like what more did he expect from him? He sent him one last devious grin, before he braced himself, and jumped into the water as well. Jyushimatsu laughed loudly at Osomatsu's face scrunched up in discomfort, but it didn't take him too long to get used to the temperature.

He crouched down, the pool way too small to fit two grown men, and especially not two grown men with relatively big wings on their backs. When the water covered his wings, he let out a delighted sound. "This is amazing," he moaned.

"Right?" Jyushimatsu agreed.

From the porch, he could practically feel Choromatsu roll his eyes. He turned to him, raising his brows at him. "What?" he barked. "If you're jealous then we can make a little more space for you, _Cherrymatsu_."

"I'm good, thanks," Choromatsu said dryly.

Osomatsu sent him a sly grin. "It'll be just like home for you, won't it?" he asked. Choromatsu looked at him with distain, and in the next second, water splashed into his face. He yelped, then blinked at Choromatsu, who was fighting a mischievous smile. "Did you do that?"

Choromatsu shrugged. "Maybe."

"Eh?" Jyushimatsu sounded. "I didn't know you could do that!"

"Me neither," Osomatsu said, feeling surprisingly offended.

Choromatsu shook his head. "Know your lore," he said. "It does make sense that a goddess of a _lake_ can control water, doesn't it?"

Osomatsu looked at Jyushimatsu, who seemed just as clueless as he felt. "It's not _that_ obvious," he mumbled, even though it _was_ kind of obvious. Choromatsu sent him one of those know-it-all looks of his, and he replied by sticking out his tongue at him. Water splashed on his face again. " _Choromatsu!_ "

Choromatsu put a hand over his mouth in a horrible attempt to stifle his laughter. Osomatsu gritted his teeth, then stood up, stepping out of the pool with a vengeful grin slowly spreading on his lips. Choromatsu stopped smiling, and sent him a wary look instead.

"What are you –"

"Give your big brother a hug!" Osomatsu interrupted, spreading his arms out. His body dripped with cold water. Choromatsu stood up, and Karamatsu swiftly moved away from them. Todomatsu was nowhere to be seen. He'd probably ran off the moment he understood what was going to happen.

"Why are _you_ the big bro- Hey!" Choromatsu jumped up the steps when Osomatsu lunged at him, almost stumbling in his own robe.

"I thought you liked water!" Osomatsu laughed, then leaped forward, barely catching a hold of his robe. Choromatsu said something incomprehensible, though it definitely was a protest, and tried shoving him away. He shoved his palm into Osomatsu's face, but he couldn't help but laugh. "I just want a hug, Churro –"

"Go back to your kiddie pool!" Choromatsu barked, then yelped as Osomatsu tickled his side, and his grip loosened. Osomatsu lunged forward, catching him around his neck, and he gave a frustrated growl. "You're _dripping,_ Osomatsu!"

"Just like home!" Osomatsu sang through his laughter.

"That's not funny!" Choromatsu yelled back. "Get off, you're cold!"

In half a second, he could sense something coming up behind him, but he didn't react quick enough before Jyushimatsu's booming voice sounded right by his ear: "Sneak attack!" he bellowed, then his body slammed into Osomatsu's, the impact sending all three of them to the ground.

His forehead slammed into Choromatsu's, and he let out a pained grunt, simultaneously with another one of Choromatsu's frustrated groans. Jyushimatsu cackled, not even bothering to move away from where he was lying on top of both of them. Osomatsu snorted, before Jyushimatsu's laughter spread to him too, and he brought a hand to the growing lump on his forehead. Choromatsu looked up at him with an unbelievably exasperated look on his face, which just made him laugh harder.

"Jyushimatsu," Choromatsu said, and the corner of his mouth quivered dangerously, threatening to break into a smile as well. "I can't breathe."

Jyushimatsu rolled off them with a gleeful giggle. "I did it! I snuck up on Osomatsu-niisan!"

Osomatsu turned to him. "What? No, I was busy, but I –"

"Osomatsu, get _off!_ " Choromatsu commanded.

Osomatsu looked back at him, then sat up, but didn't get off him just yet. He smiled cheekily. "I just kind of seem like the older brother type though, don't you think?"

Choromatsu rolled his eyes, then pushed him off. Osomatsu yelped, then laughed again. Choromatsu pressed his lips together, desperately trying to keep the pissy look on his face intact. "Are you done?" he asked. "Go put your clothes back on."

With a silent agreement that, yeah, it would be a little embarrassing if Matsuyo came back while he was walking around in his underpants, he stood up and walked back to pick up his clothes, but not before he'd stuck his tongue out at Choromatsu again.

He was in the middle of putting his pants back on when Ichimatsu walked out on the porch as well, then stopped in his tracks to eye the scene in front of him. He didn't say anything, but the confused look on his face said enough. Jyushimatsu jumped up beside him, taking his arm.

"We found a pool!" he said.

"I'm not going in there," Ichimatsu said firmly.

Todomatsu's head poked out from behind him, and he narrowed his eyes at Osomatsu, before he looked visibly relieved, then stepped out onto the porch again. He sent Ichimatsu a teasing smile. "Afraid of some water, Ichimatsu?"

"You're the one to talk, Totty," Osomatsu snorted. Todomatsu sent him an annoyed stare.

Ichimatsu didn't look amused. "I had enough of water after I drowned myself in a lake," he said dryly.

Osomatsu made a grimace. "Careful, you might offend Choromatsu," he said, then laughed at his own joke. Choromatsu looked ready to leave. He looked back at the kiddy pool, considered cleaning up their mess, but then decided against it because that just felt like too much work for him right now. His excuse was that he'd been through a lot. He could afford to leave the kiddie pool there for Karamatsu's friend to put away instead of himself.

He pulled the oversized t-shirt over his head again, then struggled with trying to fit the wings through the holes they'd made in it, before he gave up and walked over to Choromatsu. "Help?" he asked, pointing to his back.

Choromatsu looked at him like he was about to lecture him, but then sighed and stood up. "Turn around."

He grinned, and did as he said. Choromatsu was careful as he pulled the wings through the holes in the shirt, but it still felt uncomfortable with the fabric brushing against the leathery skin when he moved. He'd have to figure something out to fix that. How did Lucifer deal with it, for instance? It's not like he'd ever met a devil with wings before that he could ask about this stuff.

He watched the road, which had been empty since that random person had walked past. They were lucky they ended up in a neighborhood that wasn't too crowded, with houses that weren't placed too close to each other. The less pedestrians, the better, but then again he couldn't care less about what they saw and didn't see at this point. What were they gonna do anyway? Tell the police? He'd learned long ago that humans just saw what they wanted to see. They were alright, that way.

As long as none of them started flying, nobody would completely lose their minds, right?

At that thought, the sound of beating wings reached his ears. He tilted his head to the side, looking up.

"What is it?" Choromatsu asked, following his gaze.

"Can't you hear that?" Osomatsu said. "It's wings. Matsuyo, I hope."

"Are you sure?" Choromatsu asked, while fidgeting with the shirt. "Is this okay?"

Osomatsu nodded, and turned back around to try and spread his wings a few times. Still way too slow to even lift him a little bit off the ground. He held back a sigh, then focused on the sound of the wings again instead. "It's definitely wings. Can't you hear it?"

Choromatsu looked bewildered, but when Osomatsu walked over the garden to get a better a look above the house. He couldn't see anything, and for a moment he was confused, but then he remembered that Matsuyo had probably turned invisible, as this area was a bit more crowded than by Karamatsu's house.

"Choromatsu, can you see her?" he asked, waving him over to where he was standing. Choromatsu came to him, then squinted up to the sky.

"Oh," he said, after a few seconds. "There's an angel, at least."

"It isn't her?" Osomatsu asked, surprising himself with the worried tone in his voice.

Choromatsu sent him a look, but shook his head. "It is, probably," he said. "She's just too far away to see properly. How can you hear her from this distance?"

Osomatsu shrugged. "Just barely," he said. "Maybe I've just been waiting for that sound, so I noticed it easier." He looked down and back at the others, who'd crowded together on the steps of the porch and was chatting about something or other. Jyushimatsu was standing behind Ichimatsu, leaning on his shoulders, while Todomatsu sat beside Karamatsu, who looked a little uncomfortable with that. Osomatsu remembered what Choromatsu had told him – That Todomatsu had possessed him against his will when they were in Hell. He probably wasn't over that yet, of course he wasn't. He had reason to be angry. He'd been through a lot.

From Hell to the Heavens too. Osomatsu wondered if they should've waited a bit longer. Matsuyo had asked them about it, but they all knew they had a deadline now, the word "dead" a little bit too literal than preferred. They had no time to loose. At least going to the Heavens would be like a dream come true for Karamatsu, he supposed. For himself and Todomatsu on the other hand …

To say the least, he had a bad feeling in his gut. When they came up there, he was basically powerless. And from prior experience, he didn't trust the Heavens' judgment. They would be wary about the two of them, so if they even did a _minor_ bad thing, they would… kill them? Maybe. Then they also had very different views on what a bad thing was. What if he just did something he considered normal, and they'd put him in jail for it?

He wondered what their prisons were like. Prisons were prisons, right? They were for criminals, so it couldn't be that much different from the tunnels in Hell … He didn't want to go back there.

"Osomatsu," Choromatsu said, breaking through the wall around his mind. "Are you listening?"

He blinked, then turned to him. "Huh?"

Choromatsu looked at him seriously for a few seconds, before he put his hand against Osomatsu's chest. "You're scared," he said.

Osomatsu clenched his jaw, and moved his hand away. "It's just the Heavens," he said. "How bad can it be?"

"I'm scared too," Choromatsu said. "But it's okay. I trust Matsuyo."

Osomatsu didn't answer. He studied his face, then looked away. Choromatsu had reason to be scared too. He broke the rules, which was obviously a no-go in the Heavens. In addition, everyone seemed to have something against him, for something he couldn't even remember.

His mind flashed back to when he'd lost control, and he'd briefly seen someone else standing in Choromatsu's place. But there hadn't been anyone else … He'd looked just like Choromatsu. Yet, it hadn't been him. A part of him thought he knew what he'd seen, but the thought made him sick. It didn't make any sense. He already had too much in mind. He didn't have the energy to dwell on that as well.

He swallowed, then looked up to the sky again. The sound was getting closer. "Where is she?"

Choromatsu looked up as well, then took a deep breath. "Everyone," he said, raising his voice. "It's almost time to leave."

Two seconds after, the form of Matsuyo appeared right above the house. She soared smoothly over the roof, then landed on the ground almost soundlessly. Jyushimatsu jumped down the stairs, catching Matsuyo in a hug. Matsuyo gave a surprised little yelp, but then laughed, hugging him back. "Hello again, Jyushimatsu," she said.

The others stood up as well, but as Ichimatsu started to walk towards them, Todomatsu and Karamatsu stood behind, both looking equally as nervous. Osomatsu could relate, as he had an embarrassing urge to hold onto Choromatsu's robe for support.

Matsuyo looked around herself, and went over their faces like she was counting them. Then she looked to the house, and made a slight grimace. "We should do something about that," she mumbled, eyeing the hole in the wall. Then she looked back at them. "Well. I suppose you are all ready to leave?"

Osomatsu wanted to say no, but then Matsuyo looked at _him,_ and he kept his mouth shut. She tilted her head to the side. "Your hair is wet," she said, sounding puzzled.

Osomatsu glanced back at the kiddie pool. "Uh … It's a little warm outside," he said, as if he didn't come from a place that was steaming 24/7.

Matsuyo looked confused, but she giggled amusedly. "Fair enough," she said, then turned to Karamatsu and Todomatsu, who was still standing awkwardly by the stairs. "Karamatsu, Todomatsu. Are you ready?"

Karamatsu jumped, while Todomatsu, as always probably subconsciously, hid halfway behind him. "Ah –" Karamatsu cleared his throat, then tried changing his posture to a more confident one. "As … As ready as we'll ever be, right? Todomatsu?"

Todomatsu glanced at him, before he too straightened his back, and started walking towards Matsuyo as well. "Can you teleport us all up there?" he asked. "Because Ichimatsu isn't in shape to teleport between worlds again this soon. Are we going to take turns, or something?"

Osomatsu wanted to say that he could just admit being scared, instead of blaming it on something like that.

Matsuyo shook his head. "Jyushimatsu will help me," she said. "And Choromatsu can teleport as well. Can't you, Choromatsu?"

Choromatsu stiffened beside him. "I – That isn't safe," he quickly said. "I haven't … I've only projected myself places, not physically teleported before."

"It's almost the same," she said. "You know how to do it. I believe in you."

Osomatsu sent him a look. "Choromatsu," he said. "I'm sorry, but I can't say the same. Can I travel with Matsuyo?"

Choromatsu sent him an irritated look. "No!" he said, hitting his shoulder. "If you're going to act rude, then I'm taking you down with me."

Rubbing his shoulder, he sent Choromatsu a grin. "How cruel," he said. "It's not my fault you haven't been able to practice teleportation before."

"No, but it _is_ your fault that I now have that opportunity, so it makes sense that you're with me on this, doesn't it?" Choromatsu retorted, smiling like he'd won the argument.

Osomatsu pressed his lips together. "Jyushimatsu –"

"I'm traveling with Ichimatsu-niisan!"

"Oh … 'kay." He looked at Choromatsu, then at Karamatsu and Todomatsu. They'd have to travel with Matsuyo then. Not that he didn't trust Matsuyo, but he would definitely be wary if he had to travel alone with her. They didn't know her, after. Well, Karamatsu might be okay with it, since he'd basically worshipped her his entire life. "Right then. If I die, it's Choromatsu's fault."

Choromatsu hit him again.

"Very well!" Matsuyo said, clapping her hands together. "Now, if you –"

"He- Hello?" an unfamiliar voice said. Osomatsu whipped his head around, and saw a man he'd never seen before. He looked at their group, before his eyes moved over to his house, and lastly the kiddie pool. He hoped and closed his mouth many times. "What … what the –"

"Matsuzo!" Karamatsu gasped, rushing over to him. "I've been so worried. Where were you?"

Osomatsu sent Choromatsu a questioning look, but he was too busy fidgeting with his hands to notice, which could only mean that this was the owner of the house they'd ruined. Well, it wasn't them who'd ruined it, but he doubted that this Matsuzo-guy would care about that.

"An angel came to me," he said, sounding like he thought that was incredible. Which it probably was, in his eyes. "I still don't understand, but he took me away – Told me that the house was under attack. All I heard was a loud bang, which I … I guess was the wall …" His voice faltered, and he looked back at the house.

Karamatsu followed his gaze, before he looked back at him. "I'm … terribly sorry," he said. "Coming here was risky. I should've given it more thought."

Matsuzo was quiet for a few seconds. "Maybe… Maybe you should've," he said slowly, but sounded apologetic about it. Well, at least he was honest.

"We're very sorry about this," Matsuyo piped up, taking a step forward. Matsuzo looked back at her, and if he had been surprised by the many non-human beings before, it would've made sense that his eyes widened. But there wasn't anything more special about Matsuzo than any of the other ethereal beings in their group. It took Osomatsu a few second to recognize the look in his face: Admiration.

"It's okay," he said quickly, having seemingly forgotten the words he'd said mere seconds ago.

Matsuyo shook her head and walked up to him. "If I were you," she said, smiling knowingly. "I'd buy a lottery ticket in the closest store from here. Maybe you'll win something."

"Ah…" Matsuzo said, looking at her blankly for a long time. Then he blinked. "U- Uh, yes! I'll do that, I'll … What's your name?"

Matsuyo looked a bit taken aback. "Matsuyo," she said, then smiled amusedly. "And you're Matsuzo."

"I'm – Uh, yeah, that's it," Matsuzo said awkwardly. He looked down to his shoes for a moment, then back at her. "It's a nice name. Yours, I mean!"

Matsuyo smiled warmly. "You flatter me," she said.

Osomatsu nudged Choromatsu. "If this gets anymore sappy, I'm gonna throw up," he whispered.

"Shut up," Choromatsu hissed.

Karamatsu, who stood beside the two of them, looked very uncomfortable. Poor guy. He was probably too polite to interfere too.

Osomatsu cleared his throat. "So," he said. "We were just about to leave."

He gained Matsuzo's attention, and when he saw him, his eyes widened. "Is that a demon?" he whispered, as if Osomatsu, and everyone else, couldn't hear him.

 _That._ Osomatsu wrinkled his nose, but let the matter go. "No, I'm not," he said. "I'm a devil."

"The devil?" Matsuzo repeated, sounding ridiculously worried.

"No, not – Well. I can work with that."

" _Osomatsu_ ," Choromatsu growled under his breath.

Osomatsu giggled quietly, but kept his mouth shut. Choromatsu sighed deeply.

"Yes, of course," Matsuyo said. "Sorry, Matsuzo. We will take our leave now."

"To where?" Matsuzo asked.

"To the Heavens, of course."

"Of course?" He looked doubtful and worried at the same time. "The _Heavens_?"

"Matsuzo," Karamatsu said. "Sorry for barging in. I hope all of this haven't completely messed you up in the head, but we have to go now. Sorry again for the intrusion."

"Wait," Matsuzo said, then hesitated. "Am I going crazy?"

Osomatsu tilted his head to the side. "Humans really do see only what they want to see," he said. Choromatsu cleared his throat quietly, as just another way to ask him to shut up. He ignored him. "Yo, uh… Matsuzo? I've been away so I don't know the whole story here but honestly, do you think we're some kind of figment of your imagination?"

"Osomatsu, please," Choromatsu complained.

Matsuzo looked at him warily. "Not … exactly," he said slowly.

"You're not going crazy," Karamatsu said quickly, patting his shoulder. "But you can try to rationalize this if you want. It's a lot to wrap your head around, I know."

"Okay…" Matsuzo looked to each of them, before his gaze landed on Matsuyo. He fidgeted with his hands. "Well – When… When I look at you, it makes it easier to believe that angels exist."

Matsuyo's mouth fell open, before she looked away, almost bashfully. "Oh, stop it," she said quietly, bringing a hand to her cheek.

Osomatsu wanted to burry himself in the ground. Behind him, Jyushimatsu was quietly mimicking sounds of vomiting. Karamatsu wore a stupid, airy smile on his face. Osomatsu wondered how long he'd known Matsuzo – Maybe it was him he'd gotten his painfulness from.

His impatience got the better of him, and he left Choromatsu's side to walk up to Matsuyo and Karamatsu. "Hey," he said, sending Matsuzo a quick smile out of courtesy. "Very sorry to interrupt this very, _very_ sweet moment, but we have a deadline."

"Right! Right," Matsuyo said, shaking her head. She put her hand on Karamatsu's shoulder then sent Todomatsu a smile. "Are you ready?"

"I've been so for a while," Todomatsu replied, although the way his face paled implied otherwise. He walked over to Matsuyo, and she put her other hand on his shoulder.

"Choromatsu," she said. "You know what to do. Don't worry about this." She then turned to Matsuzo to give him one last smile. "Thank you for your hospitality," she said. "Good bye."

Then, she started glowing, and the light spread from her to Karamatsu and Todomatsu. Osomatsu stared at them as the light became brighter, and didn't remember that he shouldn't be looking at that brightness before Choromatsu covered his eyes with his arm. "Oh, right," he said, then turned away from them. His eyes were already stinging.

"Do you ever learn?" Choromatsu muttered.

Next was Jyushimatsu and Ichimatsu, who disappeared without any more talking. Jyushimatsu held onto Ichimatsu's shoulders, and this time, Osomatsu closed his eyes the moment he saw a light spreading from Jyushimatsu's chest.

When they'd disappeared too, Osomatsu looked at Choromatsu. "Your turn," he said.

Choromatsu looked like he was going to be sick.

"Is it really that bad?" Osomatsu asked, suddenly feeling a little bit more worried than before. "I don't want to get fried or anything."

"Shut up, you're not going to get fried," Choromatsu said heatedly. "The worst that can happen is that we land in the wrong place." He took a deep breath. "Hold onto me."

Osomatsu raised an eyebrow, but did as he said, taking a hold of his arms. Choromatsu held around his arms as well, and he could feel that his hands were sweaty from nervousness. He sent Matsuzo a look, who was just standing there, looking ridiculously confused.

"I would say see you later, but I guess that isn't what you want right now," Osomatsu said with a cheeky grin.

"Close your eyes, Osomatsu," Choromatsu said softly, and again, he did as he said. "Good bye, Matsuzo."

When the words were out, Osomatsu felt a growing warmth coming from Choromatsu's palms, but also radiating off his body, like a soft wind. His hair fluttered slightly, and he took a deep breath, trying to convince himself that Choromatsu knew what he was doing better than he thought himself.

The warmth comfortably enveloped him, and he let out a shaky breath. Choromatsu's grasp tightened around his arms, and in the next moment, he was weightless.

The ground appeared bellow him surprisingly quick. The sounds of countless chattering voices filled his ears. He snapped his eyes open, and was immediately met with an awful feeling in his gut. They were standing in the middle of some kind of town square. He didn't know what he'd expected, but his first thought was that this was nothing like Hell. Everything was brighter and cleaner and just nicer, but still … They were surrounded by winged creatures, and from every direction, their group got curious and shocked looks. Some looked scared. Some looked disgusted.

"Why are we in the middle of this fucking angel rave –" Osomatsu started, but Choromatsu clenched his hands around his arms. He then noticed that he was still gripping Choromatsu's arms tightly, and hesitantly let go of him.

"It's a teleportation hot spot," Matsuyo said, and her apologetic smile told him he didn't look very tough where he stood right now. "Come. The Headquarters are right over there."

She gestured to an amazingly tall building, so tall that he had trouble registering that it was real at all. So busy staring at that, he almost didn't notice that Matsuyo had started walking, before Choromatsu nudged his back. He looked back at him, and saw that he was looking at the ground, clearly uncomfortable with the attention they were getting. He looked to the others as well: Karamatsu's eyes were wide open, as if he couldn't at all believe that this was actually happening. He noticed that he was wearing a cross around his neck now – It was a new one, not like the one he usually hid under his clothes. Had he done that to impress the angels up here?

He moved on to Ichimatsu, who was looking straight ahead, his eyes half lidded, yet so intense, if Osomatsu had been someone else and seen him on the street, he could admit that he'd feel a little bit scared of him. Yet, now that he _did_ know him, he could understand this behavior. Coming from Ichimatsu, it just meant that he was nervous or uncomfortable. Osomatsu had to remind himself that Ichimatsu hadn't needed to become a Reaper, hadn't he been kicked out of the Heavens. Being back here was probably not a good feeling for him.

Jyushimatsu was walking closely beside him, looking like he wanted to hold Ichimatsu's hand. If it was to support himself or Ichimatsu, Osomatsu didn't know. Their arms brushed together for each step. Jyushimatsu was still smiling, looking like a ray of sunshine in the midst of their glum group. The last time he'd been up here, he'd been chased away, after attempting to carry out Osomatsu's wishes to send his message to the Heavens, without even knowing if he was telling the truth. Osomatsu made a mental note to do something if the angels tried punishing him again, even if that got himself in trouble.

Lastly, there was Todomatsu. He was walking beside him, but not too close. His back was straight, and his chin was lifted high. Every time he noticed someone sending him a degrading look, he looked back at them with an unwavering stare, until the angel had to look away. He could see that his Adam's apple was bobbing, so the tough look on his face was only a mask. Osomatsu wanted to support him somehow, but he knew that touching him would be bad right now. Not as he was on edge like this. Not when he was trying to keep that tough image up.

Well, he could at least join him. He breathed in through his nose, puffing up his chest. He reminded himself that he had wings now, which is a sign of high rank. The angels had to know that too, right? He wasn't going to stare at his feet like Choromatsu did right now. Instead, he started looking around himself, taking in the sight of the Heavens now that he had the chance. He felt like out of all in their group, he was the one getting the most stares, both degrading and fearful ones. As Todomatsu was just looking back at them, that wasn't enough for him, no. When an angel narrowed their eyes at him or winkled their nose, whenever their jaw fell open, or they even stopped walking out of shock, he would lock eyes with them, and then grin broadly, giving them a good view of his pointy teeth. They way they'd proceed to scurry away as if they were in danger was such a satisfying feeling. And that was almost an understatement. He flicked his tail.

He felt _so cool._

Then something closed around his tail, and he abruptly stopped walking, whipping his head around. Choromatsu was holding it in front of himself, sending him his best death stare. He only uttered two words, but the intenseness of them was enough to make his cheeky façade falter:

" _Behave_. _Yourself_."

He tried tugging his tail away. "Let go," he said. "I haven't even done anything."

Choromatsu released him, but didn't look away. "Stop it," he said, and started walking again. "People are already wary. You don't have to make it worse."

"I'm not!" Osomatsu protested, rubbing his tail where Choromatsu had grabbed it. He really was stronger than he seemed. "They're being rude. I've done nothing wrong."

"I hate to break this to you," Choromatsu said. "But in their eyes, you have done plenty wrong. Do I need to list it all?"

Osomatsu wrinkled his nose. "I personally think skipping out on missions the past decade is enough to forgive me," he said.

"Osomatsu, you've been alive for, what, three thousand – You know what, I'm not going to discuss this right now. Just – while you're here, don't do anything stupid." Choromatsu shook his head. They were nearing the entrance to the headquarters now. "And when we get in there, try not to speak."

Osomatsu sent him an offended look. "Why?"

Choromatsu deadpanned. "You know why."

They stared at each other for several seconds, before Osomatsu rolled his eyes and looked ahead. "Fine," he said. He was quiet a little bit. "I'll try," he then added, earning a warning look from Choromatsu. He smiled innocently.

"Promise me," Choromatsu said. "For both of them."

"I promise I'll try."

Choromatsu just sighed, seemingly giving up.

When they walked through the door, they found themselves in some kind of lobby. It was quiet, aside from echoing footsteps, hushed voices, and the sound of scribbling on paper. The walls and floor and roof and everything was white. Osomatsu couldn't spot a single spot of dirt in the entire room. If they hadn't been hated by the residents, Todomatsu probably would have liked it here.

"Wait here for a second," Matsuyo said, then hurried over the counters, were angels sat, busily working.

Osomatsu tilted his head to the side, then looked at Jyushimatsu and Ichimatsu. "Is it always like this here?" he asked. "I haven't seen a single angel just enjoying the nice weather. Everyone seems to be going somewhere."

Ichimatsu and Jyushimatsu reacted the same way, by giving a sigh each. "Constantly," Ichimatsu mumbled.

"It's really exhausting!" Jyushimatsu said, as if it was funny.

"It's to keep order, of course," Choromatsu said. "I think it's inspiring, the way they're working so hard."

Osomatsu turned his head to him, giving him a weird look. "So you'd want to live like this?" he asked.

Choromatsu shrugged. "I've always dreamed of the Heavens," he admitted.

Osomatsu blinked. The words hit him surprisingly hard, as a horrible thought came to him. Choromatsu, a goddess, who'd been staying in a lake for God knows how long just because the Heavens told him so, who'd been dreaming about getting up there for just as long … Now that he finally was here, what was stopping him from staying? What if his impression of the Heavens was so good, so tempting, that he'd decide to stay there. It made sense.

He'd always dreamed of the Heavens.

Choromatsu turned to look at him. "Are you okay?" he asked, tilting his head to the side.

Osomatsu stared at him, opening his mouth, but then Matsuyo walked back to them.

"Come say your names to the angel over there," she said, pointing to a pink haired girl sitting behind the counter. She was looking at them with wide, shameless eyes, as if they were some wild animals escaped from the fucking zoo.

He gritted his teeth, but followed after Matsuyo without saying anything. Ignoring the worried looks coming from Choromatsu.

Before they got to the counter, Todomatsu grabbed his arm, tugging him towards himself. "Why do they need our names?" he hissed into his ear. "I don't want them to know anything about me."

Osomatsu sent him a bothered look. He hadn't even thought about that. "I don't think we have a choice, Todomatsu," he said, shrugging. "It is as it's been for a long time now. We don't have anywhere else to go."

Todomatsu sent him a disbelieving look. "What's up with you?" he asked. "What happened to all that bravado from before?"

Osomatsu hummed innocently. "I have no idea what you're talking about," he said, watching as Karamatsu presented himself to the administrator.

"Karamatsu," he said. "Uh – Karamatsu Matsuno."

The pink haired girl's eyes widened even more. "Ma- Matsuno?" she repeated. "As in –"

Karamatsu laughed nervously, brushing his bangs away from his face. "Ah, yes. As in _the_ Matsuno's," he said. He tried sounding proud, but Osomatsu heard the discomfort in his voice. "That's … Uh, I'd appreciate it if we'd leave that matter be. If that is okay?"

The girl opened and closed her mouth a couple of times. "Of – Of course! Of course, Mr. Matsuno," she said, writing something down on. Osomatsu tried not rolling his eyes.

"Just Karamatsu is fine," Karamatsu mumbled, but it didn't seem like the girl heard him.

"Right, Mr. Matsuno," she said. "That is all. It's – It's an honor to meet you."

Karamatsu was quiet, then he glanced behind himself as if she was talking to someone else. "Uh – Uh …" he stammered, turning back to her. "Thank you?"

"You're welcome!" the girl beamed. "Then – Next please?"

Choromatsu stepped forward. Osomatsu couldn't see his face, but he saw that he had folded his hands, and since he was using such a long time to actually say something, he could only guess that he was very nervous right now.

The girl smiled questioningly. "Your name, sir?" she asked. She seemed awed to see him to, or – She must be awed to see a goddess, not Choromatsu specifically. But it didn't match her excitement of meeting Karamatsu.

"Ch- Choromatsu," Choromatsu stuttered. "I don't … have a last name."

The girl looked amused. "I didn't expect you to," she said. "Most angels don't. Or goddesses, I suppose." She looked down to her desk. "With C – H?"

"Uh – What?" Choromatsu asked, his voice rising a bit. Osomatsu wrinkled his nose. She wasn't even that pretty. Nothing like Totoko, for instance.

"It's C – H – O – R – O – M – A – T – S – U," Osomatsu said before he had the time to think. The girl looked up at him, and when she saw that it was him that had spoken, she swallowed. Osomatsu's body acted on its own. He walked up to Choromatsu, ignoring the way he was staring daggers at him. "Sorry for him, he's just nervous around girls."

The girl stared at him. "Uh – I see…" she said slowly, then hesitantly looked down to her papers. "Choromatsu."

"What's your name?" Osomatsu asked, leaning over the desk slightly.

"Osomatsu, what are you doing?" Choromatsu hissed. "Stop it!"

Osomatsu sent him a grin. "I just thought it would be a good idea to make friends while I'm here," he said, then turned back to the girl. "So?"

She looked horribly uncomfortable. "Hashimoto," she answered.

"That's a nice name," Osomatsu said. "Isn't that a nice name, Choromatsu?"

" _Osomatsu!_ "

Matsuyo put a hand on his shoulder. "Osomatsu," she said. "Wait your turn."

Osomatsu turned his head to her, considered ignoring her request, but then let out a huff of breath. He turned back to Hashimoto. "Right. Sorry," he said, noticing the way he didn't sound sorry at all, but turned away, walking to the back of the group where Todomatsu was fighting a smile.

"I don't know you," he whispered, dodging a punch from Osomatsu.

Ichimatsu and Jyushimatsu didn't take long to deliver their names, as Hashimoto seemed to already know them. She only acted a bit weird around Ichimatsu, but not like she hadn't been expecting him. Maybe he met her the first time he'd come back to the Heavens after becoming a Reaper.

When it was Todomatsu's turn, Osomatsu had to push him slightly to walk forward. He walked up to the counter, his whole body stiff. "What are you going to do with my name?" was what he said.

Hashimoto straightened her back a little. "It's for notifying the High Council that you are here," she said. "I have nothing to do with it. You are obliged to tell me, though."

Todomatsu clenched and unclenched his fists. "It's Todomatsu," he said grudgingly.

"Thank you," she said stiffly, writing it down. "Then … Osomatsu, if I've understood correctly?"

"You have," he said, noticing that the impulsive energy from before was slowly disappearing. Maybe it just had something to do with Choromatsu. He hadn't even known he could be this jealous. Why was he so jealous anyway? It's not like Choromatsu would run of with this Hashimoto girl. Yet, he'd felt furious when Choromatsu reacted the way he did. He gritted his teeth as she wrote down his name.

"That's it. Thank you," she said, sending him a fake smile.

He forced his lips to smile back. "Have a nice day," he said, then turned away from her. The others were looking at him, all of them with different expressions. Although Choromatsu was the only one he really took notice of. He looked furious.

He looked away, focusing on Matsuyo instead. "What's next?" he asked.

Matsuyo gestured to the elevators. "Follow me," she said with an enthusiastic smile.

The elevator surprised him by opening up by themselves. They walked inside of it, and the door closed, without any of them doing anything. It didn't take long for the elevator to get where it was going, but when the doors opened, he was met with a big room, looking like some kind of … lobby? Then he realized it was just a living room. They were in an apartment of some sort, and on the other side of the room was big windows, framing the view of a gigantic, clear sky.

"What the …" Osomatsu started, but Choromatsu elbowed him. "What?"

"Language," he scolded.

Osomatsu was about to start an argument, but then Matsuyo took the word. "This is where you'll be staying when you are here," she said. "I hope you find it comfortable. The High Council will see you tomorrow. In the meantime, you should get some more rest."

They walked out into the living room. Ichimatsu immediately sat down on one of the couches, and Jyushimatsu flew over to the windows, gasping loudly.

"There's a terrace here!"

"How far up are we?" Todomatsu asked, joining him by the window. "I can't even see the ground from here."

"The top floor," Matsuyo asked, sounding a bit strained.

Ichimatsu sent her a look. "To keep watch over us," he said. "The hardest place to escape from."

Matsuyo looked apologetic again. "Not exactly – Well, yes. It's not supposed to be a prison, but the High Council would like you to stay here until tomorrow," she said. "I'm … I'm not supposed to tell you this, so please don't tell anyone I said this."

Osomatsu wrinkled his nose, and looked around. "A prison?" he repeated. Was this the Heavens version of prisons? And he had to suffer through … He shook his head. Don't think about it.

"Please try to stay inside until tomorrow," she said. "Don't get into any trouble. And Osomatsu –"

He looked back at her. She looked hesitant, and folded her hands nervously. She walked over to him, lowering her voice. "If you can avoid it," she said. "Try not talking about Lucifer. It will make things… a lot more complicated than it has to be."

Osomatsu swallowed. "Will do," he said.

She smiled, then turned around to address everyone. "Well, then I'll leave you," she said. "See you tomorrow evening."

After watching Osomatsu shift uncomfortably in the oversized t-shirt they'd found in Matsuzo's closet for several hours, Choromatsu had a thought. He went into the apparent, as the others were doing their own things out on the terrace. He went into the bedroom – And yes, it was just _one_ bedroom. A big one, but just one nonetheless – and walked over to a big cabinet standing beside one of the windows.

He opened it, and what met him was six identical white robes. Choromatsu scoffed. He doubted Osomatsu would wear one of those.

The second the thought crossed his mind, the one of the robes shimmered, and turned into a suit. A white shirt, a blue jacket, a gray tie, and gray pants. On the bottom of the closet, there was a couple of black shoes.

He smiled contently, then walked out to the living room and out of the terrace again. "Osomatsu," he called.

Osomatsu, who had started practicing flying with Jyushimatsu again, froze in a weird, crouched position, and turned to look at him. "Huh?"

"Can you come here for a second?"

Osomatsu frowned, walked over to him, to Jyushimatsu's great protest. "Are you finally going to yell at me? You've been keeping that in for a while now," he said as he approached him.

Choromatsu rolled his eyes. "I wasn't, but now that you mention it …" He sent him an ugly look. "You were acting horribly back there. How could you?"

Osomatsu didn't meet his eyes, but laughed halfheartedly. "Uh … I was nervous?"

"You know, to be someone who's supposed to be good at lying, you're really bad at lying," Choromatsu said, and lead him into the living room again. "You're such a – a baby! You had literally no reason to suddenly start acting out like that! Did I do something to offend you? Is grabbing your tail a no-go or something like that?"

Osomatsu trailed behind him. "Oh, man… It was kind of an asshole thing to do, wasn't it?" he said, then laughed again. "Though it would be cool if you didn't grab my tail, actually."

"You're not answering my questions!" Choromatsu snapped. "That girl – Hashimoto – Didn't you see how uncomfortable she was? She was _scared_!"

Osomatsu was quiet for a few seconds. Then he scoffed. "Yeah, she was," he mumbled.

They walked into the bedroom, and Choromatsu took a deep breath. "The clothes here," he said. "They're made for people with wings. The enchantment will make your wings go through the fabric magically, so you don't have to worry about that anymore. It's like my robe – self-cleaning and all that."

"Seriously?" Osomatsu walked over to the closet, and opened it. He frowned. "The suit? It's so … bright."

Choromatsu walked over too, curious to see if the suit had changed to meet Osomatsu's preferences. But when he got there, it looked the same. Either, the magic only worked for Heavenly beings, or Osomatsu actually liked the way it looked.

"Better than that shirt, though," he said, then walked over to the window. From there he could see what the others were doing, so that he'd know if one of them decided to do something they shouldn't. He could hear Osomatsu struggling with getting the t-shirt off, and turned around to give him an amused look. "Need help?"

Osomatsu deadpanned. "No," he said, standing in an uncomfortable looking position with his arms behind his back. "I can handle it."

"Okay, then." He turned back to the window, not particularly wishing to see Osomatsu undress. "So, are you going to explain, or are you just going to keep avoiding my questions?"

Osomatsu groaned, but he understood that it was because he tried get out of the shirt, and not because of what he'd said. "I'll, uh, avoid your questions, thanks," he said, then sighed. "Finally…"

He could hear him taking the suit out of the closet.

"I don't understand," Choromatsu said. "I told you to be quiet, and _that_ is what you do? You said you'd try! That's the opposite of trying!"

"I don't know," Osomatsu said. "Honestly. I was in a bad mood."

"That doesn't excuse it! You _know_ how to act properly, you just didn't do it!" Choromatsu said, feeling angrier by the second. "People are already wary of you! You're just making it worse!"

"And so what?" Osomatsu asked, sounding a little annoyed himself. "They're already wary of me, and nothing I do is going to change that. I'm not like you – I don't fit in here. So why bother?" He made a low humming sound. "Interesting. You can turn around now."

He did, and saw that Osomatsu had his back to him. As he'd expected, the wings on his back went through the fabric as if it had holes cut out perfectly for them. "How does it feel?" he asked.

"Almost like it did before I got them," Osomatsu answered. "So, good."

"Good," Choromatsu said, then focused on their other conversation topic. "You can at least try to behave yourself while you're here. You might be right that they won't ever see you differently, but making it worse is pointless. You do understand that, don't you?"

Osomatsu glanced at him, then looked away again. "I understand," he said flatly.

"How can I trust that you won't do it again?" Choromatsu asked, and Osomatsu scoffed.

"You know," he said, still without looking at him. "I'm getting a little tired of hearing that."

Choromatsu faltered a bit. "Osomatsu…" he said softly. "You know I notice when something is bothering you."

He raised an eyebrow at him at that. "Because of the soul binding?"

"Because I know you," he said, taking a step towards him, but Osomatsu stopped with his next words.

"Do you, though?" he asked. "You haven't known me for that long. I guess going through all of this shit together brings people closer, but how can you know? How can you be sure that I am who you think I am? Maybe I'm just some devil, like you thought the first time we met. Maybe I'll change the minute all of this is over with. How do you know?"

Choromatsu frowned. "Where is this all coming from?" he asked, confusion clouding his anger. "I do trust you, Osomatsu. You know that, right?"

He was quiet for a few seconds, before he gave a laughing huff, shaking his head. "I don't know," he said. "I'm just in a bad mood, I guess. Don't worry about it."

"Are you honestly expecting me to just accept that?" Choromatsu asked incredulously. "Don't worry about it?" He smiled a little. "You know how I am."

Osomatsu laughed quietly. "Right, I forgot," he said. Then, his smile faltered a bit. "It's dumb."

"Obviously not dumb enough to make you forget about it," Choromatsu prompted.

Osomatsu made a grimace, rubbing the back of his neck. "No, well … I don't …" He hesitated. "I was thinking … about what you said. When you said you'd always dreamed of the Heavens." He shoved his hands into the pockets of his new pants, looking at the floor. "And I, uh … I thought that maybe – maybe you wanted to stay. Here."

Choromatsu felt his jaw go slack. "What?"

Osomatsu shrugged. "I mean, it makes sense," he said, sounding defensive. "You've always dreamed of the Heavens. You admire the way they work. You want to be like them, right? So when you talked to Hashimoto I kind of …" His face suddenly became very red. "Maybe I'm weak when it comes to envy because of the seven deadly sins and all that. We talked about that, right?" He laughed weakly.

Choromatsu didn't know what to say. Osomatsu gave a sigh, and mumbled something about sitting down, then walked over to one of the futons laid out on the floor.

"So anyway," he said as he sat down. "It's dumb."

Choromatsu stared at him. "It's – It's not dumb," he said, then followed him to the futon. "If you're worried about things like that, you can just say so."

Osomatsu looked up at him. He looked different in the suit. More powerful, maybe. Yet, he looked vulnerable. Choromatsu wondered how many times he'd thought that about Osomatsu. He wondered if he was the only one who could see through that mask of his too. Probably not anymore – He'd been letting his walls down more and more to all five of them. Which was good; He didn't want him to bottle up his emotions like he'd done before.

So he wanted him to talk.

"I'm already whiny enough, though, aren't I?" he asked, grinning.

He smiled a little at that, and sat down beside him. "Are you worried about me staying here?" he asked. "Even as all of this is going on?"

Osomatsu shrugged. "I dragged you into this mess," he said. "You're safe up here. It's where you're supposed to be, isn't it?"

Choromatsu looked down to his lap, resisting the urge to fidget with his hands. "I …" he started, glancing at Osomatsu. "I want to be where you are."

Osomatsu didn't answer, but he noticed the way his brows twitched.

"I said I've always dreamed of the Heavens, but …" He looked up to the roof, trying to find the best way to convey his thoughts. "You were the one who convinced me to leave the lake. And although I still sometimes feel bad because of that, and although the situation you led me into wasn't the easiest … I don't regret it. You've shown me the world as it really is, not just the parts of it that I chose to see through projection. And it's … scary, a lot of times. I've been scared ever since leaving the lake, because everything happening is new to me. But you've been there through it all. So when things seem dark, you …" He trailed off, and looked back at him. "You've been the light," he finished quietly.

Osomatsu bowed his head a little bit. Choromatsu pressed his lips together, feeling awkward the way they were sitting.

"A- And if I lost that," he continued, shaking his head slightly. "I don't… I don't know what I'd do. I'd be in free fall. So … I'm not going to stay here in the Heavens. You don't have to worry about that."

Osomatsu sent him a weird look. "I don't get it," he said.

"Don't get what?"

"How you can think that of me."

Choromatsu looked back at him. Osomatsu didn't seem like he put much thought into that sentence. It was just a thought – His face was blank, if not just a little confused. The fact that he was genuinely wondering about this made him sick in his stomach. He wondered why this was so hard for him to understand, but … when he thought about it, it wasn't that hard to figure out. His whole life had been under the command of Tougou, as far as Choromatsu knew. It didn't seem like he knew anyone besides Todomatsu before he met Choromatsu. He hoped that confusion arose because he wasn't used to being loved, and not because he thought he didn't deserve it. None of them were good, of course, but he wanted Osomatsu to know that he _was_ loved. And that he deserved it, no matter what he'd done in the past. No matter what Tougou had made him believe.

Choromatsu swallowed down the sudden lump in his throat. Then he leaned against him, resting his head on his shoulder. "You brought me happiness," he said softly. "How could I not?"

Osomatsu was quiet for a long time. Then his body suddenly shuddered a little. "Fucking shit," he muttered suddenly, then sniffled. Choromatsu lifted his head to look at him, as his cursing had gotten just a little bit more excessive than usual, and saw that he was rubbing his eyes furiously. He scoffed. "When did I become such a crybaby?"

Choromatsu pressed his lips together, then laid his forehead on Osomatsu's shoulder. "Aren't we all?" he asked, his voice a little hoarse. Osomatsu laughed quietly, before he became quiet. Then he shifted, changing his position so the he sat with his face turned to Choromatsu. He had a concentrated look on his face, like when people step out on the ice, not sure if it's thick enough to hold their weight or not.

"Then I'm not going to leave you either," he said. "I'll annoy you for eternity."

He stared at him, then laughed. "Okay," he said. "That's okay."

"Really?"

"Yes."

Osomatsu grinned. "No take backs."

Choromatsu smiled back at him. "I'll take the risk," he said. Osomatsu's grin broadened, then he lunged forward, wrapping his arms tightly around him. After getting over his immediate surprise, he closed his eyes, leaning into the embrace. He could feel Osomatsu's heart beat rapidly in his chest.

"Choromatsu," he said quietly. "I'm so glad you're alive."

Choromatsu swallowed heavily, then took a deep, shuddery breath. The lump in his throat from before came back at full force, and he grabbed the fabric of Osomatsu's shirt, crumpling it in his fist. This, he told himself, was where he wanted to be. He'd never leave that for anything else.

Karamatsu didn't expect Osomatsu to come out to the garden again with new, fancy clothes, and definitely not smiling and laughing with Choromatsu as if not harm had been done at all. He sat in the shadow of the apartment right by the doors, and when he got eye contact with Osomatsu, he sent him a grin. Karamatsu smiled back.

"You look like a new man, brother," Karamatsu said, giving him a thumbs up.

"Oh – Uh, thanks," Osomatsu said, looking down on himself. "To be honest, I'm just wearing this for the wing perks, but thanks." He turned around, pointing to where his wings stood out of the fabric. Karamatsu didn't understand how they'd managed to cut such accurate holes for them – but then he saw the weird way the fabric was shifting and changing, and he realized it had to be magic.

"Fantastic," he said. "I'm sure this will make practice easier for you."

"Practice?" Jyushimatsu echoed. "Are we gonna practice?"

Osomatsu stiffened, then slowly turned to Jyushimatsu. "Practice?" he said hesitantly. "Haven't we been practicing enough already?"

Jyushimatsu straightened his back, putting his hands on his hips. "Not until you learn to take off from the ground!" he commanded, spreading his wings. "You too, Choromatsu!"

"Huh- But –"

"No buts!"

Karamatsu kept quiet as their protests were brought to silence, and Jyushimatsu dragged them out on the terrace again, motivating them with his endless energy. He smiled softly, leaning back against the wall as he watched them try and fail and try again, over and over. After a while, Ichimatsu walked over to them too, then surprised everyone when a pair of dark, misty wings materialized behind him. Ah – That might explain where the "angel of death" expression had come from, as Reapers weren't actually angels.

The last of them then walked out of the doors, holding a glass of something that looked like a smoothie. Todomatsu looked at the scene before him, then turned to Karamatsu. Karamatsu looked back at him without saying anything. He didn't have anything to say to him.

"Hey," Todomatsu said, sitting down beside him. "You haven't called me names yet."

Karamatsu looked away. "I wasn't thinking clearly when I said that. No mature person calls people names," he said.

"That's bullshit, in my opinion," Todomatsu said, before falling silent for a short while. "Are you angry with me?"

Karamatsu swallowed. "You had your reasons to do what you did," he said. "And in the end we achieved our goal, so you were right. But … it was a douchebag move either way."

Todomatsu nodded. "Fair enough," he said. "I would be angry at me too. Judging from Osomatsu's reaction, possession seems to be pretty … bad."

He sent him a look. "It is pretty bad," he said dryly. "It's just as bad as I feared it would be. As I have feared since I learned about my parents' death."

Todomatsu pursed his lips. "That… makes sense…" he said slowly. He looked sideways at him, then averted his eyes. "It really was a douchebag move."

"It was," Karamatsu simply said.

Several seconds of silence passed.

"So…" Todomatsu said. "Did you talk to Osomatsu-niisan yesterday?"

Karamatsu nodded. "We… talked," he said, remembering the exact moment he'd decided that he wanted to punch Osomatsu in the face. He'd never before felt such an impulse, but right there and then it had been uncontrollable, even if he regretted it the moment after. He especially remembered the dread he'd felt when Osomatsu spat out a tooth into his hand.

"…And?" Todomatsu prompted.

"And…" He shrugged. "And nothing. Wounds like that doesn't heal overnight. I forgive him, of course, but … things are still a bit weird. It'll take time."

"I see," Todomatsu said quietly. He looked down into his lap, then up again at the others trying their best to make Choromatsu and Osomatsu fly. Ichimatsu was now teaching Choromatsu, while Jyushimatsu and Osomatsu seemed to be talking about something with great passion. Jyushimatsu was making grand movement with his hand, then pointing furiously at his head, and then at Osomatsu's head. "Look, Karamatsu," he then said, turning to him. "I wish I could get tears in my eyes and all that jazz, but … I'm not like that. I really do wish we could've done it another way down there, but I was only trying to protect you. You do understand that, right?"

Karamatsu looked blankly at him. "I understand all of that," he said. "I don't blame you for what you did, but it doesn't change the fact that you viciously stepped over my boundaries. And you haven't apologized for that."

Todomatsu was quiet for a few seconds. His brows knit together, as if this was an alien concept to him. "But I _am_ sorry," then said. "I'm sorry."

"Do you mean that?" Karamatsu asked, earning a look from Todomatsu.

"Of course I do," he said. "I just didn't think I'd have to spell it out for you. I'm sorry. I really am."

Karamatsu smiled. "Then I forgive you," he said, leaning back against the wall again.

Todomatsu stared at him. "Really? Just like that?"

"Mhm."

"Aren't you mad at me anymore?"

Karamatsu took a moment to listen to his emotions, and – yeah, he was still angry. But he'd let it pass. He gave a short laugh. "Love your neighbor as yourself," he said, brushing his bangs away from his face.

Todomatsu kept staring at him. "What?"

"Mark 12:31."

" _What_?"

"It says in the Bible, Todomatsu," Karamatsu said, as if he was surprised that Todomatsu didn't know the book by heart, as he, almost, did. Almost.

Todomatsu wrinkled his nose a little, then leaned against the wall as well. "Okay, then," he said.

They sat in almost comfortable silence after that. Karamatsu breathed in through his nose – the air in the Heavens was noticeably fresher and cleaner than the one down on Earth. The temperature was also perfect, no matter if you sat in the shadows or if you basked in the sun. He wondered if the weather was ever bad up here.

His eyes wandered to the others, still struggling to teach the two to fly. It was a little funny, the fact that the two strongest beings of their group were the ones that had to be taught that. Even funnier was the fact that this picture almost seemed normal to him now. An angel, a Reaper, a goddess and a devil, playing together as if it was the most normal thing in the world. It almost looked like one of those baroque paintings picturing angels and demons fighting, except this version was much friendlier, and not as elegant.

Jyushimatsu walked behind Osomatsu and took a hold of his wings, moving them up and down. Osomatsu's shoulder went up to his ear, and he jumped away from him.

"Stop that!" he barked.

"Then do it yourself!" Jyushimatsu commanded.

Osomatsu stared at him, then frowned in concentration. His wings moved, but much too slow to actually lift him off the ground. Then he shrugged. "I guess I'm just not meant to fly," he said, then tried to laugh, but his disappointment was very clear.

"It's magic!" Jyushimatsu said, earning a confused look from Osomatsu. He smiled, pointing at Osomatsu's head. "You said wings in Hell symbolize power and high rank, then it would be super stupid if you couldn't even fly with them. I think that the wings are a lot for show as well as for flying! So maybe you have to use your magic to fly, and not your muscles!"

Osomatsu didn't look convinced, but Choromatsu joined in on the conversation. "He might be right, Osomatsu," he said, sounding like he'd thought about this for a long time. "Angel wings and devil wings might work in different ways, because they were created for different purposes. Angels have wings for practical reasons – to help people in need on the Surface, and because they're living in the sky so they need a way to get down to Earth. In Hell you're not helping anyone – no offence – and it's impossible to use your wings to fly away from Hell and up to the Surface, so there's actually no reason for you to have them. Yet, as you say, it is used to show power and dominance and high rank. And we _do_ know that devils can fly if they have wings, so the only solution I can think of is that it isn't the wings that makes you fly. It's the magic that comes with them."

Osomatsu looked overwhelmed. "That doesn't make any sense," he said. "Why wouldn't the wings work? That's stupid!"

"They do work," Choromatsu said. "But maybe they're more for show than for actual flying. Try using your magic to lift yourself from the ground, without focusing so much on moving your wings."

"Why couldn't I just have gotten the power to fly, then? Without the wings in the way?" he asked, crossing his arms.

Choromatsu shrugged. "Power display, I guess," he said.

"That's so shallow," Osomatsu muttered, but closed his eyes. He stood there for several long seconds, then he opened his eyes again and groaned. "This isn't working!"

"Try again!" Jyushimatsu prompted.

"Maybe they _are_ just for show," Ichimatsu muttered.

Osomatsu whined. "Why is this so complicated?"

"Let me help," Choromatsu said, but when he closed his eyes, Osomatsu grabbed his arm, and he opened them again to give him a confused look.

"With the soul binding?" he asked. "I don't wanna."

"I'm just going to help you focus," he said.

"No, you're gonna manipulate my emotions!"

"No! I'm just going to feel what you feel, and then try to guide you a little!"

Karamatsu tilted his head to the side. "Is soul binding really that bad?" he asked. Todomatsu glanced at him, then looked back to the circus in front of them. He shrugged.

"I don't really feel any different," he said. "But … somehow I get a feeling that the bond between Osomatsu-niisan and Choromatsu-nii – … Choromatsu is a bit stronger than mine and Jyushimatsu's." His cheeks turned a little red, and Karamatsu stifled a laugh.

"Why do you think that?" he asked.

He shrugged again. "Just a feeling."

Karamatsu turned back to Osomatsu and Choromatsu. Both of them had closed their eyes. While Osomatsu was frowning deeply, obviously struggling to achieve whatever it was he wanted to achieve, Choromatsu looked peaceful, the only thing revealing that he was actually concentrating and not just standing there with his eyes closed the slight movement of his head, as if he was trying to listen to a very faint whisper.

"You're focusing too much on focusing," he said.

"What the hell does that even mean?" Osomatsu snapped.

"Just relax," he said, his brows furrowing slightly in irritation. "Think of it as any other type of magic. It starts in your chest, and spreads out through your body. Maybe imagine that you're floating off the ground."

Karamatsu noticed that the air got electric, as it often did when magic was performed. He stared at Osomatsu as he took a deep breath, then let it out, his body visibly relaxing.

"That's it," Choromatsu said softly. "I think you're getting there."

Everyone became dead quiet, and just stared at the two of them, suspension thick in the air. Then, so slightly Karamatsu barely noticed at all, Osomatsu's feet slowly lifted off the ground. Karamatsu held his breath. He was floating just above the ground, even if it was just ten centimeters, his wings barely even moving. His eyes were clenched shut.

"Is it working?" he then asked.

Choromatsu opened his eyes. "Uh …"

"Uh?" Osomatsu opened his eyes too, then they widened in surprise. "What the – _Agh!_ " He fell right down again, his legs giving out under him.

"You had it!" Choromatsu gasped. "You did it!"

Osomatsu looked overwhelmed again. "I did it," he muttered.

"You did it!" Jyushimatsu shouted. "One more time!"

Osomatsu pouted. "I don't know how I did it," he said, looking to Choromatsu for help.

Choromatsu folded his hands excitedly. "There was something different, though. Didn't you feel it?" he asked. Osomatsu shrugged. "Just find back to that place in your mind. Now that you've already been there, it can't be as hard to find your way back."

"The place in my mind?" Osomatsu echoed. He wrinkled his nose then closed his eyes again. "Are you saying I just have to feel what I felt just now?"

"I think so," Choromatsu said.

Osomatsu hummed. Then he took a deep breath, and leaned backwards. Karamatsu was sure he'd fall right onto his back, but then he just kept floating, as if he was shoulder deep in water. Choromatsu's mouth fell open.

"You're doing it! You're doing it!" he said, sounding more excited about it than any of them. The excitement seemed to throw Osomatsu out of his zone, because right after he fell onto his back like Karamatsu had imagined he'd do. He groaned, then laughed loudly.

"It isn't that hard!" he said, grinning from ear to ear.

Jyushimatsu was cheering about something Karamatsu was pretty sure had something to do with baseball, but he got the message across.

"How did you get a grip of it so quickly?" Choromatsu asked, kneeling down beside him. "That was amazing!"

"Well, you told me to imagine that I was floating," he said, gesturing with his hands. "And it reminded me of when you're drunk and you lie down and you feel like you're doing just that, so I just thought about how it feels to be drunk and thoughtless, and it worked!" He grinned, rubbing the underside of his nose.

That obviously wasn't what Choromatsu expected to hear. "Really?" he asked, tilting his head to the side.

"Really!" he said. "I just had to stop thinking so much!" He turned to Todomatsu and Karamatsu. "What do you think?"

Karamatsu gave him a thumbs up. "Well done, brother," he said, flashing a smile.

"I can't say I'm surprised," Todomatsu said.

"This is easy!" Osomatsu said, the proceeded to dive headfirst into the ground. Jyushimatsu laughed the loudest out of all of them. He sat up, holding his nose, which had fortunately not started bleeding. Todomatsu was clutching his stomach, his laugh sounding just a tad more obnoxious than it should be, probably to piss Osomatsu more off.

"Again," Ichimatsu said, smiling broader than he usually would.

"Okay, you guys suck," Osomatsu said, rolling his eyes. He stood up, then closed his eyes shut, muttering something under his breath. It took a few seconds, but then he took off the ground again, smoothly, as if he'd learned it a long time ago. Nobody said anything. Then he opened his eyes hesitantly, like he was afraid he'd lose his concentration by doing that. For a moment, he faltered in the air, looking like he was going to fall again, but then his posture steadied. His mouth had formed into comically round "O", but when he realized he had control, it spread into a triumphant grin. "Hah! Take that!"

Choromatsu smiled, but shook his head, somewhat exasperated. "This wasn't a bet, Osomatsu," he reminded him.

Osomatsu obviously didn't listen, as he was too busy trying to take backflips in the air. Jyushimatsu cheered him on, but Choromatsu knit his brows worriedly together. Ichimatsu looked at him as if merely watching him keep on with that made him exhausted.

Karamatsu didn't know how the flying thing worked, but it seemed like a pretty big deal that Osomatsu managed to master it that quickly. Well, maybe not master it, as he got close to falling many, many times, but … It was impressive, nevertheless. Though, he thought it was only a matter of time before something went wrong, if he knew Osomatsu correctly.

Maybe it was Lucifer. Maybe being lent his powers also meant getting better at mastering things like that. His senses had gotten stronger too, hadn't they? He'd gotten stronger, in general.

And Karamatsu… He was the same. A sigh escaped him.

"What is it?" Todomatsu asked.

He glanced at him, then looked down to the floor in front of him. "I was thinking," he said. "Everyone is getting stronger. I don't know what to do, now that my parents' documents are gone. I'll never be as good as them." He briefly wondered if he ever was meant to follow their path. They never told him to do so. They never left their documents specifically for him … They could have told him, when their souls were with them. But they hadn't done that. They hadn't told him anything.

"Karamatsu," Todomatsu said, stopping his train of thought. He turned to him, and saw that he was looking at him with narrow eyes. "Your parents weren't that great."

Karamatsu blinked. "Excuse me?"

Todomatsu just scoffed. "Excuse you? No, excuse them," he said, crossing his arms. "Yeah, they were a big fucking threat for us demons, obviously, but why should you care about what good they did for some angels they couldn't even be sure existed, when they didn't do shit for _you_?"

"Todomatsu, they were my parents –"

"And so what?" He stared at him, almost like he was offended. "You know, I never knew _my_ parents. Most demons don't. Some do though, and let me tell you, the envy is real. Though some of us are better off without them, see Osomatsu-niisan for instance."

Karamatsu was taken aback. "Todomatsu, show some consideration," he said, bringing a hand to his chest.

He shook his head. "My point is," he said. "Just because they're your parents doesn't excuse the fact that they weren't good people. You don't owe them anything. You don't owe them the privilege of you carrying on their memory as if they were some great fucking heroes. Because they weren't. They were just workaholics that didn't care shit for their son, like they should have."

"What- What does that have to do with you?" Karamatsu asked, feeling vulnerable under Todomatsu's glare. "You don't know if they cared about me or not. They just … had a lot of responsibility."

"You don't think _you_ were their responsibility too?" Todomatsu asked. They stared at each other, none of them willing to look away. Then he sighed, closing his eyes. "I'm just saying … You've been fixated on becoming the picture of your parents, without even knowing how they really were. How old were you when they died?"

Karamatsu swallowed. "Eleven," he muttered.

"Did you see them much before that?"

He opened his mouth, but then averted his eyes, looking down to the floor again. "No," he said.

"Then how can you look that much up to them? You didn't even get to know them." Todomatsu's voice softened a bit. "You seem unable to let go of them, when they don't even deserve that gratitude. You don't need their documents. You're doing well enough on your own."

His lip quivered a little when he spoke. "Really?" he asked quietly.

"Really," Todomatsu said, then looked down to his lap. "Besides. You have an advantage your parents didn't have. Osomatsu-niisan and I can teach you things about Hell's creatures that your parents could only dream of knowing. You'll be the best exorcist in the history of exorcists."

Karamatsu stared at Todomatsu, his vision slowly blurring, and after a few seconds, Todomatsu looked back at him. He frowned, his cheeks becoming red.

"Don't start crying," he said, softly pushing Karamatsu away. "I don't know how to deal with that."

Karamatsu swallowed, blinking rapidly. "Sorry, sorry," he said, then laughed quietly. "I just… didn't expect that."

"My help?" he asked. "Why not?"

He shrugged. "Isn't that a bit of a burden?"

Todomatsu was quiet, then he shook his head. "Stop thinking like that. We're a group now, so we help each other out, right?" He stared ahead of him, the blush not quite leaving his cheeks. "Karamatsu-niisan?"

Karamatsu took a shaky breath, staring intently at his own feet. He nodded slightly. "Okay," he said, his voice quivering a little. "We help each other out."

Osomatsu didn't have big expectations when he went to bed that night, so before anyone else decided they wanted to go to bed, he snuck into the bedroom, and dragged one of the futons further away from the others, knowing that he'd probably wake up in the middle of the night, drenched in sweat from whatever memory he had to relive, just like the night before. It wasn't as if he'd already had trouble sleeping before he got captured by Tougou. Now it was practically impossible.

And of course he was right. The dream wasn't very clear, but he still knew what was going on. Back in Hell, back in the tunnels. He was running by several of the windows where he'd seen Todomatsu and Ichimatsu, except now it was all of them, standing right by him, but without seeing him. They were just standing there, and for every time he got to a new window, the picture of them changed. Their faces faded away, and their postures faltered, until they were just standing side by side, facing him as if they could see him, but chose not to do anything about it.

In the tunnels, he was constantly hearing Lucifer's voice, but he couldn't understand what he was saying. His voice boomed in his head, making him unable to hear anything around him. The darkness became harder and harder to navigate in, and he constantly knew that if he turned around, someone would stand there. Tougou would stand there, ready to take him back to that torture chamber.

He ran and he ran, slowly feeling his legs rotting away, and his breath leaving him. He stumbled in his own feet, and Tougou's laughter echoed through the tunnels. He looked out the windows, and saw that everyone was still standing there, except Choromatsu. The stopped, momentarily forgetting that he was being chased, because why wasn't Choromatsu there? Where was he? Why did he leave them?

Tougou's rasping voice was by his ear. "Stupid boy," he said. Osomatsu whipped his head around, but he didn't come face to face with his father.

Choromatsu stared back at him, smiling the way Tougou would.

Then he jolted awake, nausea washing over him. He didn't think as he stumbled to his feet, and ran out of the room, and into the bathroom. He barely managed to get to the toilet before his stomach churned violently, and yesterday's snack came rushing up again.

The room was spinning, and he gripped the toilet seat, his body lurching forward again and again. His entire body was shaking, and he reached for the toilet paper, wiping his mouth when he thought his body had managed to get rid of everything inside of him.

"Osomatsu," Choromatsu's voice suddenly sounded, and his whole body jolted. Stupidly enough, he had difficulty turning around to look at him. Would he see Choromatsu? Or was he still dreaming? Would he see Tougou? His breath wouldn't calm down. "Osomatsu, are you –"

He gasped for air. "Ch – Choromatsu," he breathed. "It's you, right? It's j- just you?"

"Of course it is," he said, walking towards him.

"Don't," he quickly said. "Don't touch me. D- Don't …" Was the air getting thinner? He tried breathing, but his lungs wouldn't let him.

"Osomatsu –"

He stood up, barging past Choromatsu without looking at him. He stumbled a little, and had to lean against the wall as he rushed towards the terrace. Then he threw the door open, and his knees buckled beneath him. Everything was _spinning._ He staggered, crashing into the wall, the slid down to the ground.

Why couldn't he breathe? Why was everything making so much _noise_? He tried breathing in, but he barely manage to do so before his lungs constricted. Tears blurred his vision, and he dug his nails into his scalp, gasping desperately for air.

He could hear Choromatsu walking out on the terrace as well, but he couldn't look up at him right now. "Osomatsu," he said, crouching down in front of him. "Please remember that you're safe. Try to calm down."

He shook his head. "Can't – breathe –" he gasped.

"Yes, you can," he said softly. "I can breathe, so you can breathe too. Listen. Breathe with me."

A warmth spread in his chest, and for a moment, his panic grew. But then he realized it was just Choromatsu, transferring his own feelings into him through the soul binding. It was a calm, comfortable warmth, distracting him from the fear that had filled his entire body. This was Choromatsu – only he could do that.

He looked up at him. His eyes. His kind smile. Not Tougou's. Not Tougou.

He grimaced, then reached out for him. Choromatsu leaned forward and enveloped him immediately, quietly shushing him. "It's okay," he said. "I'm here."

Did he know what he had thought? What he had feared? Did the soul binding reveal that? Either way, it was the words he needed to hear. He held around his chest, trying to match his breathing pattern. Choromatsu made circles on his back, slowly and gently. The comfortable warmth stayed, reminding him where he was. Home. Safe.

Choromatsu sat patiently, just like the other times he'd comforted him. Even if his breath had turned next to normal now, he still didn't let go, and Choromatsu didn't question it.

"I brought some water for you," he whispered. "If you want."

Osomatsu nodded, but didn't answer or move right away. He waited another minute. Then he leaned back, and Choromatsu reached for a glass beside him. Osomatsu took it with shaky hands, and drank away the gross taste in his mouth. When the glass was empty, he immediately leaned back on Choromatsu's chest. He wasn't in the mood to think about how pathetic he was acting. Right now he didn't care. Choromatsu didn't complain, as he ran a hand through his hair carefully, placing a kiss on his head.

"Sorry," Osomatsu mumbled. "I had a nightmare."

"I noticed."

"Did I wake the others?"

"Yes."

"Shit. Sorry."

"It's okay, they don't blame you."

Osomatsu opened his eyes, but all he saw was Choromatsu's robe. He lifted his head, and shifted his position, so that he could lean his head on Choromatsu's shoulder. When he did that, he got to see the sky over them, and a small gasp escaped him.

"What is it?" Choromatsu asked, sounding a bit worried. Osomatsu straightened his back.

"Look," he said. Choromatsu turned around, and his jaw went slack.

Over them, the sky was specked with millions of stars. It was nothing like looking at the starry sky down on the Surface – Osomatsu got the feeling he only needed to fly a few meters up, and he would find himself surrounded of those glimmering lights. It was as if he'd looked through a misty window all his life, and now the window was open, now he could suddenly see the skies clearly. It was like a picture taken with a telescope.

He staggered to his feet, then walked out onto the terrace, always looking upwards. He would never see anything like this again. He, as a devil, was lucky to even get to see it once. And after living in the warm, stuffy netherworld that was Hell for thousands of years, he'd never felt this … he didn't even know what he felt. He felt strange. He'd thought he'd seen the universe in the eyes on the veranda with Jyushimatsu, but that was nothing like this.

 _This_ were the open skies he'd dreamed about. _This_ was freedom.

Choromatsu came up beside him. "I can't believe I've had the chance to see this during my entire time in the lake," he said. "Yet I chose to stay, just because of a feeling in my gut."

"You were just doing what you were told," Osomatsu said.

"Still." He huffed quietly. "I'm a little bitter."

Osomatsu laughed. "Yeah, me too."

They stood in silence for a few seconds, then Osomatsu sat down, earning an odd look from Choromatsu.

"I think I'll stay here," he said. "I don't know if I'll be able to sleep anyway, so …" He lied down on his back. That way he could see right up into the sky, and he wanted to keep looking at that as long as he were able. He wouldn't get this chance again.

Choromatsu lied down beside him. "Then I'll join you," he said.

Osomatsu smiled. "Okay."

They didn't say anything after that. When Osomatsu reached out with his hand, Choromatsu took it without hesitation.

The next day, the weather was just as nice as the last one. In the early hours of the morning, Todomatsu had walked out onto the terrace while the others were still asleep, finding Osomatsu and Choromatsu sprawled out on the ground. Choromatsu was lying on the side, using his wings as some kind of weird blanket substitute. Osomatsu was lying on his back with his limbs spread out everywhere. Their hands were knit tightly together, even in unconsciousness.

And both of them had become ridiculously embarrassed when Todomatsu woke them up. Under normal circumstances, Todomatsu would have laughed, but he knew his brother had had a rough night. So he just told him he'd drooled on the ground, then went back inside.

And now, Osomatsu stood by the railing on the terrace, looking like he was in deep thought. Choromatsu and Karamatsu was sitting on one of the couches, reading some kind of book while discussing quietly among themselves. Jyushimatsu and Ichimatsu had gone out earlier, to speak with Matsuyo or something. Todomatsu guessed they had a lot to catch up on.

He walked up to Osomatsu, then peeked over the railing to see what he was looking at. The ground was so far below them, Todomatsu almost felt sick. Even a demon wouldn't survive that fall.

"'Sup?" he said, choosing to look at Osomatsu instead.

Osomatsu glanced at him, then turned back to the view. "I kind of …" he started, but stopped, turning around to look at Karamatsu and Choromatsu, where they were still sitting, deeply concentrated on whatever they were doing. He turned back again. "…want to explore," he finished quietly.

Todomatsu's lips quirked upwards. "That's not safe for us," he said with a scoff.

"But –" Osomatsu frowned, briefly looking back at Choromatsu. " –We're bound to them. I'm bound to Choromatsu, and people notice that. Though that's mostly annoying, it's practical in this case. People won't have so much of a problem with a demon or a devil as long as they're under the control of an angel or a goddess, right?"

"I guess … But Choromatsu would never let us leave anyway," Todomatsu said.

"… I guess," Osomatsu echoed after a few seconds, the thoughtful tone in his voice not very calming. "Hey, where's Jyushimatsu and Ichimatsu?"

"I think they're talking to Matsuyo."

"I see."

He frowned, sending Osomatsu a suspicious look. "What?"

"You know," Osomatsu said, leaning his head in his hand while looking up into the sky. "I can fly."

He stared at him. "No fucking way," he said, louder than he planned. Choromatsu looked up from where he was sitting, narrowing his eyes.

"Osomatsu?" he said.

Osomatsu pressed his lips together, then turned to him with a grin. "Yes?" he asked innocently.

"Adrenaline goes under the list of strong emotions," Choromatsu said. "As well as mischief. I don't know what you're thinking, but stop thinking it."

"Yeah, niisan, stop thinking it," Todomatsu muttered.

"I have no idea what any of you are talking about," he said, then made a face at Choromatsu. Choromatsu stared back at him, then reluctantly looked back at the book he and Karamatsu was reading. Too quick for Todomatsu to react properly, Osomatsu slid an arm around his waist.

"What are you – _Huh_?"

Osomatsu hugged him tightly against his body, then threw himself over the railing with a shrill yell. Todomatsu barely registered what was happening, before the wind was whipping against his face, and he gripped tightly onto Osomatsu as if that would stop them from falling, while his mind kept screaming _this is it! This is the end! And it's because of your idiot older brother!_

Then the world stopped. Todomatsu was clenching his eyes shut, gripping around Osomatsu like a koala. They weren't falling anymore. He cracked an eye open.

The ground was far beneath them.

"Osomatsu," he gasped. "What the fuck do you think –"

"Yeah, yeah, I have it under control," Osomatsu said, then gave a carefree laugh.

"That's not –!" Todomatsu pulled his eyes away from the ground and tried wrapping himself even closer around Osomatsu. "Take me back!"

"Hey, stop squirming, or we'll – _Woah_!" Abruptly they were falling again. Todomatsu let out a piercing cry, but then they stopped again. Osomatsu was laughing. "Just kidding!"

His heart was going to leap out of his throat, and he tug his nails into Osomatsu's skin. " _You_ –"

" _Osomatsu_!" Choromatsu's voice rang, and they both looked up. He was standing by the railing, eyes so wide they looked like they'd pop out any moment. Karamatsu appeared beside him, eyebrows deeply furrowed. " _What are you doing_?"

Osomatsu giggled. "Enjoying this chance of seeing the Heavens while I can!" he called back, grinning broadly. "We'll be back before the meeting!"

" _What? Come back here_!"

"You have wings!" he laughed. "Use them!"

Then he bolted downwards, heading towards the tall buildings of the city. Todomatsu couldn't do anything but hold onto him and hope that he wouldn't randomly lose control as he had so many times yesterday. Osomatsu hummed as if no harm was done at all.

" _Relax_ , Totty, I got this," he said. Todomatsu whined in reply.

Immediately when they landed on the ground again, Todomatsu pushed Osomatsu away, staggering a bit as his knees felt like they were going to buckle under him any moment. "You're a fucking asshole!" he spat, earning a content grin from Osomatsu. "Stop smiling like that!"

He looked around, and saw the he'd picked a rather empty street to land, but there were some angels here and there, all of them sending them wary looks. Todomatsu stared back at them the way he had when he first arrived, and they quickly looked away.

"This isn't safe," he said. "We have to go back."

"Todomatsu," Osomatsu said, completely ignoring the looks they were getting. "Before we got into this mess, did you ever think you would see the Heavens with your own eyes?"

"Of course not!" Todomatsu snapped. "Because we're not supposed to fucking be here!"

"But we are!" Osomatsu said, throwing out his arms. Then he gripped Todomatsu's wrist, and started leading him down the street, completely ignoring his protests. "And we're never getting this chance again! This is the Heavens, Todomatsu. Can you believe that?"

Todomatsu scoffed. "Why are you so starstrucked?" he asked.

"I'm –" Osomatsu sent him a bothered look, before looking ahead again. "I'm not. I'm just … curious. I wonder if there's someplace you can just chill out here. Or is working the only thing people do here?"

"I don't know. Do you wanna ask someone?" Todomatsu asked sarcastically. Osomatsu stopped, then gave him an excited look.

"Good idea!" he chirped, then started walking towards one of the angels.

"No – I didn't actually –"

"Excuse me!" Osomatsu yelled. The angel jumped, and turned around to them with a _slightly_ horrified expression, mixed with a weird kind of disbelief, like he was wondering if he was awake or not.

"Y- Yes?" he answered.

Osomatsu sent Todomatsu an impressed look. "Some of them _are_ actually polite," he commented, then turned back to the angel, who seemed too baffled to be offended. "I was wondering if there's any, like, venues or something where people hang out, or is everyone just working up here?"

The angel blinked. "Uh – There's – There's some parks here and there," he said.

"Not any coffee shops, or a fast food places?" Osomatsu continued, then narrowed his eyes. "A pub, maybe?"

Todomatsu dragged a hand over his face.

"Not that I know of," the angel said.

"Damnit," Osomatsu sighed. "And I was getting my hopes up too. This place seemed so fancy." He grinned at the angel. "Much fancier than Hell. Did you know?"

Todomatsu watched as the angel's posture become stiffer and stiffer the longer Osomatsu stared at him. Though he still thought this was a stupid idea, it still made an amused smile play at his lips. He knew Osomatsu was enjoying this as well. In the end, they were both sadistic assholes.

"I didn't know," he answered, eyes flickering around them as if trying to find an escape route. "Um … Angels can't go there. Pardon me, but I thought it was the same for demons. A- And devils."

Osomatsu gasped, and the angel jolted. "You're the first one to know the difference!" he said, taking a step forward. "Thank you!"

"You're … welcome?" the angel said, his face hilariously pale.

"Well, thank you for your help," Osomatsu said. "Maybe we'll see you later." When he walked past him, he patted him on the shoulder, and the angel jumped again.

"Okay," was what he said. Then he scurried away as fast as he could without setting into a run.

Osomatsu snorted, then set into a loud laugh. Todomatsu couldn't help a few giggles escaping him as well. "Did you see his face?" he cackled. "He looked ready to pass out!"

Todomatsu shoved him. "That was unnecessary," he said, as if he wasn't as much entertained by it as his brother. "What are you planning on doing now? There obviously isn't much to see here, except hustling angels doing the big man's work or whatever."

Osomatsu shrugged. "I guess we'll just have to look around," he said, then stopped for a moment. "Hey, do you think we should hide the horns and stuff?"

Todomatsu thought about it for a moment. "I mean … All it would do is make the angels confused and not immediately scared or wary, because it's pretty obvious that we're not angels, without the feathery wings and all."

"Maybe they'll think we're fallen angels," Osomatsu suggested.

Todomatsu sent him a doubtful look. "No offence," he said. "But you seem as far from holy as possible."

He giggled. "None taken!" he chirped. "Well, let's just confuse them, then." His demonic traits flickered, and Todomatsu followed his steps.

They came to a larger street, filled with more angels going from places to places. The minute they emerged from the narrow alleyway, some angels even stopped in their tracks, looking at them as if they weren't sure if they'd seen correctly or if their minds were playing tricks on them. Todomatsu gave one of them a wave.

Osomatsu snickered. "Let's take a walk," he said.

Choromatsu was leaning over the railing, watching as Osomatsu and Todomatsu disappeared behind the tall skyscrapers, feeling infuriatingly helpless. " _That irresponsible, annoying little_ – " he started, teeth gritted, but interrupted himself with a frustrated groan. "What is he thinking? _How_ did he think that was a good idea?"

"He probably didn't," Karamatsu said. "He probably just did it despite knowing that it was a horrible idea."

Choromatsu laid his face in his hands. "This is the worst!" he moaned. Karamatsu patted his back awkwardly.

The terrace doors opened behind them, and Choromatsu turned around to see that Jyushimatsu and Ichimatsu was back. Upon seeing Choromatsu's horrified expression, both of them tilted their head confusedly to the side, Jyushimatsu's movement excessively big, and Ichimatsu's quite the opposite. It was a perfect example of the difference in their similarities.

"Why the long face?" Jyushimatsu asked.

"Osomatsu and Todomatsu went on an adventure," Karamatsu said.

Ichimatsu frowned. "As in … left?" he asked slowly.

Choromatsu and Karamatsu nodded.

"Are they stupid?"

"Todomatsu was kind of dragged into it, but …" Choromatsu rolled his eyes. "Osomatsu is definitely stupid."

"I'll go after them!" Jyushimatsu said, and crouched down to shoot off the ground, but Choromatsu almost jumped out of his skin to get to him first.

"No! You're in too much trouble already!" he said. "We're not supposed to leave the building! If you're seen out there –"

"I can go," Ichimatsu said. "I'm a Reaper. Their laws don't apply to me."

"Is that really how that works?" Choromatsu asked.

Ichimatsu shrugged. "I don't know," he said. "But I can turn invisible, so either way they won't see me. I'll go." He closed his eyes for a moment, and his smoky wings materialized behind him.

Choromatsu pressed his lips together. "Okay, but be careful," he said, then realized he sounded like he was their mother or something. "We're already in enough trouble as it is."

"Yeah, yeah," Ichimatsu mumbled, then disappeared on the spot. A gust of wind was the only thing that betrayed that he left.

Choromatsu leaned against the railing again, closing his eyes exasperatedly, mumbling silent _why_ s under his breath. Jyushimatsu bounced up and down restlessly, staring out into the city like he'd spot them if he tried hard enough.

"What would happen if they got caught?" Karamatsu asked.

"I don't know," Choromatsu said, opening his eyes again. "Since this isn't _really_ a prison, and the Heavens are supposed to be good and forgiving and all of that, I don't think they can actually punish them for leaving, since they never told us that we couldn't. They just _implied_ it to scare us into staying inside. But I guess since it's Osomatsu and Todomatsu, the two of us that they trust the least, they'll find a way to punish them for that anyway."

"We can protest!" Jyushimatsu said. "I'm still an angel, so my voice still counts, right?"

Choromatsu felt ill. "Maybe …" He gave a sigh. "But then I'm also worried about what will happen while they're out there. I don't know how people will react to them. Especially when their personalities are as they are. Osomatsu is probably making matters worse, as we speak."

Karamatsu folded his hands. "Have some faith in him," he said. "They might not ever see this place again. Of course they'd want to see it all."

He could understand that, but he still didn't forgive Osomatsu for leaving right at the moment. He could do it after, after he'd scolded him for it. "What about you?" he asked. "Don't you want to see it?"

Karamatsu gazed thoughtfully out to the city again. "I was hoping we could see it when they give us permission to leave," he said. "I don't want to anger them. After all, I'm hoping I'll come here in the afterlife."

The words came as a small surprise, and then he remembered that the afterlife was a pretty big thing in Christian faith. It was easy to forget when you were immortal. "That's true," he said. "You might not come here, though."

Karamatsu sent him an alarmed look, and he quickly waved his hands.

"Not that you wouldn't go to Heaven!" he quickly corrected himself. "Just another, ah … I guess you can call it floor? Of it."

"What do you mean?" Karamatsu asked confusedly.

"Why do you think we call it 'the Heavens' and not just 'Heaven'?" Jyushimatsu asked, as if he found Karamatsu's confusion funny.

He looked back and forth between the two. "I just … I didn't really think much of it," he said. "I thought it was just another name for it."

Choromatsu shook his head. "There's three levels," he said. "We're currently in the second one: The angel's part of the Heavens. The third one is the parts where souls go. Good souls, that is. The others go … Well, we all know that." He intertwined his fingers, his gaze not focusing on anything in particular as he thought about what was in the third level of the Heavens. "The last floor, the one closest to the Earth … That's where God is. Nobody has ever been there."

Karamatsu's mouth was hanging slightly open. "I see," he said, looking thoughtfully back to the city. "Well, I hope I've been good enough to reach that place."

Choromatsu smiled amusedly. "I don't think you need to worry about that," he said.

Jyushimatsu made a sudden impatient sound, taking off the ground for a moment. "Choromatsu-niisan, let's teach you to fly again!" he said, waving his arms.

Choromatsu sent Karamatsu a look, a silent call for help, but Karamatsu pretended not to see, smiling slightly while he stared pointedly at the city in the distance. That traitor. He hesitantly looked back to Jyushimatsu, then sighed. "Fine," he said. "But only until the others come back."

Now that he thought about it, it would be easier to find them if Jyushimatsu was here. He was bound to Todomatsu after all. Either way it would mean that they couldn't have gone too far, thanks to the soul binding.

It was just a little bit hard navigating in the air between the tall buildings. If he flew too low, the angels would notice a gust of wind, but wouldn't notice him, which left them confused. Random gusts of wind didn't happen in the Heavens, since the weather was always perfectly sunny and wind-free. And since angels were visible for each other, they couldn't blame it on that either. Nobody would think a Reaper was flying above them.

Ichimatsu guessed Osomatsu _could_ be flying around now that he were able to, but he doubted Todomatsu would like that, and he also thought that Osomatsu wouldn't leave a chance to bother some angels be. Because he was an idiot, they all knew that.

It was kind of funny, though.

He tried flying close to the ground in hopes of overhearing someone talk about a demon or a devil prancing around, because that must be a pretty interesting conversation topic, right? If not, he could just ask someone.

He swooped down on the ground, then released his invisibility. His sudden appearance startled the angels nearby, and he turned to the angel closest to him. "Hey," he said, his voice sounding a bit more brooding than he'd planned. The angel's eyes got wide.

"Good morning!" she peeped, her shoulders tensing up. Ichimatsu tried stopping the sinking feeling in his stomach. "Can I help you?"

"Maybe," he replied. "I was wondering if you'd seen a couple of demons walking around here somewhere." He could hear Osomatsu correcting him about "a couple of _demons_ " in the back of his mind, but he didn't want to make this more complicated than it had to be.

The angel's mouth fell open. "A- A couple of demons?" she asked, as if she was wondering if she'd heard correctly. When Ichimatsu nodded, her brows knit together. "… No," she said slowly. "Should I have?"

Ichimatsu shrugged. "Don't worry about it," he said. When the angel seemed to worry about it, he let out a silent sigh. "They're friendly," he assured her, then turned on his invisibility again, and jumped off the ground, giving a small scoff. "Friendly-ish," he added quietly to himself.

After flying around the taller buildings for a long while, he decided this part of the city was pretty boring, and Osomatsu and Todomatsu had probably come to the same conclusion. Or so he hoped, as he soared towards a less busy part of the city, where the buildings were in different sizes, and not everything was white and squared.

He flew up on a rooftop and landed there to observe the city, trying to see something that was not as normal and repetitive as everything else in this part of the Heavens. He sat there for about ten minutes, and was about to move on, when he spotted something in his peripheral vision. Just about to disappear behind a building, he saw a couple of figures, and one of them had a pair of red wings on his back. He stood up, and quickly flew over to where they were. Instead of flying right to them, though, he instead landed on another building, watching them as they sat down on a bench, laughing about something or other. He could see that their demonic traits were flickering slightly, indicating that they'd hid them, as if that would help them seem unsuspicious.

Ichimatsu sat down. Jyushimatsu had probably already started distracting Choromatsu from his worries already. He could afford to just sit there and observe for a little while. It could become entertaining, right?

Probably shouldn't tell that to Choromatsu, though. Well, what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him.

As predicted, most angels weren't fooled. They were giving them strange looks, because there was _something_ up with those two, but what was it? The attention made Todomatsu both nervous and a little excited. He'd always liked attention, after all. And maybe this wasn't quite the right attention, but it was attention after all.

Osomatsu seemed to be having loads of fun, but after a while, he started complaining about his feet hurting, and they sat down on a bench by the road. Todomatsu wondered why it was even there, since nobody seemed to have a second to relax in this place.

Osomatsu yawned, way too loud to be natural, making the angels walking past turn to them with weirded out looks, or worried looks, or frightened looks. Some of them even jumped. Weird how the ones supposed to be the protectors of the Surface managed to be such scaredy-cats.

… Not that he had anything to say on that matter, in some cases.

Either way, he didn't put much effort in hiding his laughter, especially not when Osomatsu cackled with no shame.

"I told you this was a good idea," he said, grinning contently. "I know what I'm doing."

"I still think it's a bad idea," Todomatsu said, crossing his arms. "Just – Sometimes bad ideas are fun ideas. You're still an idiot."

"You're just mad because I was right," Osomatsu said.

"Sure, sure," Todomatsu hummed, watching as angels passed hurriedly past them. It was as if they'd scared them enough while walking around like everyone else, but now that they were sitting down relaxing, their suspicions about them being not one of them were confirmed. Maybe relaxing was a crime.

"Niisan?"

"Hm?"

"Is relaxing a sin?"

Osomatsu sent him a weird look. "Why do you think I know?" he asked, sounding almost offended.

He shrugged. "I heard you talking about sinning with Choromatsu," he said. "Maybe he'd told you."

Osomatsu pursed his lips, humming quietly. "Maybe … Sloth? One of those seven deadly ones."

"You're not lazy for taking a break," Todomatsu argued.

Osomatsu shrugged as well. "I don't think so either, but I guess angels have a different view on that," he said.

As he said it, an angel stopped slightly in their tracks, looking at them confusedly. Todomatsu quirked an eyebrow at him, and he came closer.

"Excuse me," he said. "Are you two lost?"

Todomatsu glanced at Osomatsu, who was smiling brightly at the angel. Then he tilted his head to the side, mocking thoughtfulness.

"Like," he said. "Right now, or just in general?"

Todomatsu pressed his lips together.

The angel looked confused. "Sorry?" he said.

Osomatsu cleared his throat. "Because," he said, gesturing with his hands. "Life is a … bumpy road, and it is often difficult to find the way! The right way, I mean … There are many wrong ways, but only one right! Or am I wrong?" He glanced at Todomatsu, and then back at the angel. "I –" he started, but his voice was wavering, the way it often did when he was about to execute a joke he thought was funny. "I was once lost. But now, I have f- found myself in G –" Then he couldn't hold his laughter in anymore, giving a loud snort before throwing his head backwards. Todomatsu tried holding his own laughter back, but didn't quite make it.

The angel looked very taken aback. "Are you –" he started, but looked like he didn't know what to say. "Are you mocking me?"

"Eh," Osomatsu frowned, looking at Todomatsu. "Is mocking a sin?"

"I have no idea, niisan," Todomatsu said, turning to the angel. "Is mocking a sin?"

The angel blinked, looking back and forth between them, the suspicion growing visibly in his eyes. Oh, oh, this was getting dangerous, Todomatsu thought. If he wasn't already enjoying himself so much, he might have bailed, but… Maybe Osomatsu was affecting him.

"I'm sorry if this offends you, but I was wondering…" the angel said, frowning a bit. "Are you not from here?"

"What gave it away?" Todomatsu mumbled, and Osomatsu snorted again.

"Uh – We're …" he said, looking to Todomatsu, and then back. His lips quivered. "From … downtown?"

Todomatsu laughed, then covered his mouth with his hand. Now the angel definitely looked suspicious. They were going to get in trouble if they kept this up.

"I have never seen any of you before," he said, eyeing them up and down. He probably wondered where their wings were. Maybe it was impolite to ask. "Where exactly do you mean?"

"My mom told me not to give my home address away to strangers," Osomatsu said.

The angel scoffed, then caught himself, giving a strained smile. "Nobody is a stranger here," he said, as if that was obvious. As if he was prompting them admit who they really were

"Right," Osomatsu said slowly. He pursed his lips, turned to Todomatsu for a moment, a dangerous glimmer in his eyes. He sent the angel a devious grin. "Well, I guess we're not very social people. Here," He stood up, offering his hand to the angel. "I'm Osomatsu."

Something weird flickered in the angel's face. Surprise, maybe. But then he blinked, shaking his head a bit as if chasing away an unwelcome thought. He took Osomatsu's hand, only frowning a little bit. Before he had the chance to introduce himself, Osomatsu took a step forward and dragged the angel towards himself, stopping with his mouth close to his ear.

"Do you wanna hear a secret?" he said, quietly, but loud enough for Todomatsu to hear. "When I say downtown, I mean like … _really_ far down. Do you get what I mean?"

The angel leaned away from him and stared at him, clearly alarmed. Then, whatever he saw in Osomatsu's face made him pull his arm back, stumbling away from him. Todomatsu licked his lips, his heart hammering with adrenaline of what was going to happen next. The angel clenched his fist. "You - !" he said loudly, making other angels turn towards them worriedly. "How did you get here?"

Then Osomatsu did something _incredibly_ stupid, probably just so he could look cool. He released the invisibility, his tail, horns and wings appearing for everyone to see.

"Well," he said. "I can fly." As if that had anything to do with it.

The angel raised his arms, ready to either defend himself, or attack. Other angels stopped as well, looking at them with wide eyes. And now they didn't seem like they were just frolicking anymore – The angel made it look like they were hostile. And Osomatsu didn't make matters any better.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," he said, sounding horribly casual. Todomatsu stood up, ready to bolt.

Then, there was a sudden gust of wind, and dark smoke appeared in front of them. For a moment, Todomatsu thought Osomatsu had been stupid enough to attack, but then Ichimatsu suddenly stood there, facing the angels.

"Leave," he said, calmly, but loudly.

The angel stared at him, mouthing a silent word: " _Reaper_." Then he just nodded, and scurried away. Many of the other angels did as well, and those who didn't at first, only needed one brooding look from Ichimatsu, before they too were on their way. Oh, how Todomatsu wanted that kind of power.

Then Ichimatsu turned to them, his expression slightly less bored than usual. "Are you stupid?" he asked.

"I guess I could use my head a bit more often," Osomatsu said, then laughed. " _Man,_ I was so scared there for a moment!"

"Really?" Todomatsu said dryly. "Because you sounded like you were picking a fight."

"It's an instinct!" Osomatsu said, and shrugged. "Well, we definitely could've handled that situation better. Uh, what now?"

"We're going back," Ichimatsu said.

"What?" Osomatsu pouted. "But we haven't even seen anything interesting yet!"

Ichimatsu scoffed. "Yeah, there isn't much interesting to see here. I think you've seen the most of it."

Todomatsu tilted his head to the side. "That's … very disappointing," he said. "Can't wait to tell everyone."

"Tell who?" Osomatsu said. "I don't think your classmates want to have a friendly conversation with you anymore."

Todomatsu grimaced. "True, well," he said, shrugging. "I guess they'll never know, then."

"Hey," Ichimatsu said. "We're leaving. Osomatsu, hide that away."

Osomatsu sighed dramatically. "I can't believe you're asking me to hide who I really am," he said. "But, fine. I'll do so for you, dear."

"Shut up," Ichimatsu said, sending him an annoyed look. "To be honest, you getting in trouble won't affect me so much, so I could've cared less about what would've happened if I hadn't gone after you. Choromatsu, however. He's pretty upset." This time, it was Ichimatsu who grinned deviously.

Osomatsu pressed his lips together. "I'm not scared of Choromatsu," he mumbled.

Todomatsu made a doubtful sound, earning a look from his brother. He sent him a small smile in return. "Maybe you should be."

Jyushimatsu was in the air, yelling instructions at Choromatsu, who was _still_ on the ground. Not that he was getting impatient – he had loads of patience, at least when it came to people. And Choromatsu was trying his hardest, beating his wings harshly. The force sometimes lifted his body half a meter off the ground, but it wasn't enough to get him further up. But rather than muscles, Jyushimatsu thought it had to do with courage – Choromatsu seemed to be just a little bit afraid of letting himself higher than that.

He swooped down, landing in front of him. "Choromatsu-niisan," he said. "Are you afraid of height?"

Choromatsu blinked. "No, of course not!" he said defensively.

"It makes sense if you are!" Jyushimatsu prompted. "You've been in a lake! It makes sense that you're afraid of the air as much as I am afraid of the ocean!"

Choromatsu frowned. "You're afraid of the ocean?"

Jyushimatsu blinked. "So! What I'm thinking is that you need to get over your fear, and then you'll be able to physically let yourself fly higher!"

"I'm not afraid of heights!" Choromatsu snapped. "I'm just not strong enough, that is all."

"But you are," Jyushimatsu said. "You can keep yourself of the ground, but you won't let yourself fly higher. Maybe subconsciously, I don't know."

Choromatsu shook his head. "That's not it, I – What are you – _Agh_!"

Jyushimatsu bounced over to him, then lifted him up bridal style before he had the chance to react, completely ignoring Choromatsu's panicked protests. "I'm going to fly now!" he laughed, then shot off the ground.

"N- No, no, no, _no_! Put me down!" Choromatsu shrieked, clinging to Jyushimatsu as if his life depended on it. But Jyushimatsu knew what he was doing, of course. He was the strongest in his class! "Jyushimatsu, put me down!"

"Why, you can fly on your own!" Jyushimatsu said, still grinning.

"I _can't_!"

"Yes, you can!" He looked down, and saw that they were pretty far away from the ground now. "Ok, I'm going to let go now."

" _What?_ "

"Three, two and –"

" _Jyushimatsu_!"

" _Three!_ " He threw Choromatsu up with all his strength, to give himself little more time to get ready catch him if something went wrong, then dived down towards the ground, turning around midair. Choromatsu was screaming, which was well expected, flailing with his arms before he remembered to spread his wings. And then he fell.

"J- Jyushimatsu!" Karamatsu yelled.

"It's fine!" Jyushimatsu said.

"He's gonna –"

Then Choromatsu beat his wings forcefully, and he stay in the air for a moment, before he started falling again.

"Again!" Jyushimatsu yelled, jumping up and down. "Again! Again!"

And he did it again. He stayed in the air. Jyushimatsu cheered.

"I – I –" Choromatsu stammered. "I'm doing it! I'm flying!"

"You're flying!" Jyushimatsu bellowed.

"You're flying!" Karamatsu echoed, his hands tightly folded against his chest like he was praying.

"Now land!" Jyushimatsu said.

"Land?" Choromatsu sounded worried again. "Ho… How?"

"Dive!"

"I can't do that!"

"You said that last time as well! Just try!"

Choromatsu stared at him, before he closed his eyes, swallowing heavily. "Okay!" he said, and opened his eyes. He took a deep breath, then tipped forward, bending his wings closer together. And he started falling again, though now with a concentrated look on his face. But it quickly turned to panic.

"Spread your wings again!" Jyushimatsu instructed, and though Choromatsu did as he said, he still came fast towards the ground.

" _I can't stop_!" he shrieked.

"I got you!" Jyushimatsu ran backwards, holding out his arms. Then he jumped, catching Choromatsu clumsily. He fell backwards, crashing to the ground, then rolled across the floor, losing the grip on Choromatsu along the way. When he stopped, he ended up on his back, the world around him spinning. "Wow!" he laughed. Choromatsu groaned beside him.

Karamatsu came running over to them. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice lighter than normal. This was what he sounded like when he wasn't trying to act cool, Jyushimatsu noted. It had happened more recently than before.

"Yeah!" Jyushimatsu said. "That was fun, wasn't it, Choromatsu-niisan?"

Choromatsu sat up slowly, putting a hand to his head. "I thought I was gonna die," he muttered.

"You're immortal though!"¨

Choromatsu gave him a sideways glance, then closed his eyes exasperatedly. "That's true…" he said.

Jyushimatsu laughed, but then abruptly stopped, feeling something in his chest vibrate. Choromatsu lifted his head as well, looking around. Karamatsu gave them both weird look.

"What happened just now?" he asked.

"They're coming back," Choromatsu said, staggering to his feet. Jyushimatsu jumped up as well, and they jogged over to the railing. And surely enough, they could see three shapes in the distance, flying towards them. This time, Ichimatsu was carrying Todomatsu, as Osomatsu already looked like he was exhausting himself flying on his own, as he was shaking a bit in the air, flailing with his arms now and then.

Choromatsu made a quiet, but infuriated sound. Jyushimatsu looked over to him, just in time to see him stand up tall, making a big movement with his arm. The air around them vibrated, and then he was sure he heard Osomatsu give a surprised yell. He looked back at him, and saw that he was suddenly not wavering in the air anymore, but rather flying towards them at an amazing speed. It wasn't he who was in control of it though.

His yelling became louder as he came closer, and it didn't seem like he was slowing down much. At least not enough to get a smooth landing. Then Choromatsu took a step to the side, and Osomatsu flew past him, took a somersault, and then landed on his butt.

He gave another yell, which quickly turned to a groan. "My ass…" he whined.

" _You childish, irresponsible, mindless buffoon!_ " Choromatsu growled, and trampled over to Osomatsu.

Osomatsu turned around, quirking an eyebrow. "Buffoon? Really?" he said. "Also, how did you do that, that was kind of co – Actually, hold on, was that because of the soul binding?" He stumbled to his feet, staring incredulously at Choromatsu. "It was, wasn't it? I can feel it!"

"Yes, it was because of the soul binding," Choromatsu said, and didn't sound sorry about it.

"You promised you wouldn't use it against me!" Osomatsu snapped.

"And _you –_ " Choromatsu said, pointing a finger harshly in Osomatsu's chest. " –promised not to do anything stupid!"

"I said I would try!" he argued.

" _Is this what you call trying_?"

Osomatsu pressed his lips together, then looked stubbornly to the side. "I wanted to see the Heavens," he mumbled, shoving his hands in his pockets.

Choromatsu sucked in air, then let it out in a deep sigh. "Maybe you'd get that chance later, _without_ doing anything so reckless!"

"Key-word is _maybe_ ," he retorted.

Choromatsu gave him a sharp look. "I only hope you didn't do anything that will attract attention," he said, looking up into the sky while brushing the hair away from his face.

Osomatsu stiffened a bit, pressing his lips together. "A- About that …" he started.

Choromatsu slowly looked back at him. "About. _What?_ "

He grimaced. "Well …"

Jyushimatsu looked away, tuning out the sound of their argument. Instead, he focused on Ichimatsu and Todomatsu, who was within hearing range now. Jyushimatsu gave them a wave, and since Ichimatsu couldn't wave back, Todomatsu did instead.

"Did you have fun?" he yelled.

"Uh –" Todomatsu started nervously, glancing at Choromatsu. "It was, um, interesting."

Ichimatsu landed on the terrace, and Todomatsu jumped down in his feet again. He glanced at Osomatsu and Choromatsu, who were still arguing, and starting slowly making his way to the doors.

"And Todomatsu!" Choromatsu suddenly said, while gripping Osomatsu's shoulder as if physically trying to pause their argument while he talked to Todomatsu. Todomatsu turned halfway to him, but Choromatsu just stared at him for a few seconds, before sighing. "You didn't willingly participate in this madness, forget it."

"What?" Osomatsu said. "He did stupid things too!"

Todomatsu slipped through the doors before Choromatsu had the chance to turn back to him again, but Choromatsu just shook his head.

"Aren't you the older brother? Aren't you supposed to set an example?" he asked.

Osomatsu scoffed. "I'm – He sets his own fucking example, we're not fucking children anymore!"

"Well, you're acting like one! And watch your language!"

Jyushimatsu turned away from them again, facing Ichimatsu instead. "What did they do?" he asked.

Ichimatsu smirked. "Riled up some angels," he said. "Playing with them and all that. What you'd imagine they'd do."

"Ah," Jyushimatsu said, scratching his head. "Probably not a good thing."

"Probably not."

"Oh well!"

"Oh well."

The rest of the day was spent just lounging around. Osomatsu kept getting annoyed looks from Choromatsu, but he decided that if he just ignored them long enough, he'd forget about it. Why couldn't he just react like Jyushimatsu? Jyushimatsu thought it was funny – he even admitted he would do the same in their shoes. In which he also got an annoyed look from Choromatsu.

 _Hmpf_. What a party-pooper.

Karamatsu and Todomatsu was sitting by themselves, discussing different ways to perform an exorcism. Karamatsu was eagerly writing everything Todomatsu said down in a notebook – Osomatsu didn't know where he had even gotten that from, but it seemed that everything they needed just magically appeared in this apartment – and Todomatsu was gesturing with his hands more and more as his enthusiasm grew. He'd _just_ learned all of this in training after all, so he probably enjoyed sharing his newly found knowledge.

Jyushimatsu had somehow worn himself out. He and Ichimatsu were lying on the floor, Jyushimatsu halfway on top of Ichimatsu, facing the sky. Osomatsu didn't know if they were sleeping or not, but they looked like they were having a good time.

Choromatsu was sitting in the sofa reading a book.

And Osomatsu was sitting in a chair. Upside down.

"Hey, Choromatsu," he said.

"I'm not talking to you."

He deadpanned. "So cold," he said. His eyes went back to Karamatsu and Todomatsu. Todomatsu was now smiling determinately, while Karamatsu looked more uncertain. He didn't know what they were talking about, but Karamatsu shook his head violently.

"Come on!" Todomatsu said, throwing out his arms. Osomatsu narrowed his eyes, and strained his ears. "It's not dangerous! I won't _actually_ do anything."

Karamatsu gave him a suspicious look. "That's what you said last time," he said.

"Well – I mean it this time! You have my word," Todomatsu said, making a cross over his heart. "Just repeat the mantra."

Karamatsu took a deep, shaky breath. "Okay… But when I tell you to stop –"

"I stop, yeah, yeah." Todomatsu clapped his hands together. "Go on."

Osomatsu watched as Karamatsu started chanting something or other in Latin, his eyes closed in concentration.

"Here I go," Todomatsu said warningly, then started dissolving. Osomatsu fell out of the chair trying to sit up properly, then straightened his back, watching the scene with round eyes. What – What were they doing? Why? The Todomatsu-smoke shot towards Karamatsu, but was pushed away from him again by an invisible force. Todomatsu briefly appeared again, but then dematerialized, trying again.

Karamatsu's chanting became louder, and more strained. The Totty-smoke shot at him again, but again he didn't get to him. When he reappeared, Karamatsu's chanting simultaneously faltered, but when he saw Todomatsu disappearing, he tried to start chanting again, but then made a choked sound.

Choromatsu looked up from his book at that. "What are they –"

Osomatsu shot up, darting over to Choromatsu to cover his mouth with his hand. "Shut up. He's being taught some useful shit right now," he whispered. "I can't believe he went along with it."

Choromatsu ripped his hand away. "What are they _doing?_ "

"He's trying to possess him."

" _What?_ "

"Just _watch!_ "

Karamatsu brought his hands to his throat, then croaked out something. At first, Osomatsu thought he was telling Todomatsu to stop, but then the smoke shot away from him again, and he started coughing heavily, while still trying to keep the mantra going. Todomatsu stumbled backwards, giving a small laugh.

"Good, you're doing good," he panted. "One more time." And he dematerialized again.

Karamatsu spoke up, but then the smoke shot at him more violently than before, and he was pushed back, making his words falter. Immediately, his threw his head backwards, before his body lurched forwards as if he was going to throw up. The smoke gathered around him, and he waved his hand violently.

The Totty-smoke floated away from him, and Todomatsu reappeared. Karamatsu fell limply forwards, but Todomatsu caught him by his shoulders. "Hey," he said softly. "That was good."

Karamatsu didn't answer at first, but nodded his head slightly. "Th- Thanks," he muttered quietly. "I'm exhausted already."

Todomatsu crouched in front of him. "You can take a nap if you want," he said. "Osomatsu does it all the time, except he takes naps on top of people. It's really annoying."

Osomatsu wrinkled his nose. "I heard that!" he yelled.

Choromatsu jumped, giving him a weird look. "You did?" he asked incredulously.

Karamatsu turned towards him. "You did?" he echoed.

Osomatsu stood up, walking over to them. "How did you convince him to do that?" he asked Todomatsu. "That's like … I mean, I _do_ actually know what possession feels like now, and really, Totty, it's horrible." He looked at Karamatsu. "What kind of determination …"

Karamatsu pressed his lips together, his cheeks flushing slightly. "Ah, that's …" he said, brushing his bangs away while clearing his throat. "Just … such you have to do, for security measures. There's no helping it."

Osomatsu smiled amusedly. Although he'd found Karamatsu's weird demeanor unbearably painful at first, he now found it strangely charming. Karamatsu was cute, in his own way. Briefly, he could forget the weird tension that was between them, knowing that Karamatsu had only forgiven him to let himself heal, and he sat down beside him. "You know," he said, folding his hands in his lap. "If you want to practice exorcism, I can help you with that too. We don't need to do it the way we did it before. Unless you want to, of course. Whatever… Whatever you're comfortable with."

Karamatsu was quiet for a few seconds, then he smiled softly. "Of course, brother," he said. "I would like that. But not right now. Now I …" He stopped to yawn. "I really … need to lie down."

Todomatsu stood up. "I'm gonna see if there's something in the kitchen," he said, looking at Osomatsu. "Maybe beer. It isn't a sin to drink, isn't that what you concluded with?"

"Only drunkenness," said Osomatsu, then he shook his head. "Why do I know this stuff?"

The other two laughed. When Todomatsu disappeared into the apartment, he and Karamatsu sat in silence a few seconds.

"Well," Osomatsu said. "This suddenly became really awkward, I'm sorry."

Karamatsu glanced at him, then shook his head. "I'm just tired, don't worry," he said, smiling sheepishly. "The fact that only this made me this worn out is … it's …" His shoulders sank. "It's humiliating," he mumbled.

Osomatsu frowned. "You're just human, Karamatsu," he said.

"So were my parents."

He stiffened a bit, then let his gaze fall to the floor. "I, uh …" he said, feeling bad just nearing himself that topic. He didn't have any right to talk about them. He swallowed. "I guess … I- I mean, I know – a- and by that I …" Oh, he wanted to disappear right now. "Fuck. Sorry."

Karamatsu was looking at him, his brows turned worriedly upwards. "You can talk about them," he said. "It's okay."

He glanced at him, then looked away again. "It's, uh, of course true that they were great," he said, closing his eyes. He fucking knew they were great because he had been chosen to kill them. Why was he talking about them like he was honoring them? He took a deep breath. "But they were also older than you are. You're, like … twenty one, right?" Karamatsu nodded. "So, you have loads of time to learn. I don't know how your parents got so good at their job, but I'll tell you something." He tried looking him in the eye while he spoke, even if it wasn't easy with this conversation topic. "They weren't _great_ for that many years. I don't know what compelled them into pursuing exorcism, but they definitely started it when they were adults. They got really good really fast, obviously, since they, uh…" He looked down again. "…attracted some unwanted attention. So what I'm saying is – you have their blood. Their skill is in your genes. If you just let yourself rest and take things at your own pace, then you'll easily become as good as they were. So … Don't beat yourself up just because of this. You're stronger than you think."

He fell quiet for a few seconds, and when Karamatsu didn't say something back, he glanced back up at him, to see that his eyes were shimmering with unshed tears again.

"D- Don't start crying!" he yelped, waving his hands, mind flashing back to their conversation on the porch outside Matsuzo's house. But this time he just sniffled, and looked up into the air for a few seconds.

"Sorry," he said, again excusing himself for crying. "I just get really emotional when I'm tired."

"Aren't you just an emotional type of person?" Osomatsu asked. Apparently, that was what it took for Karamatsu's tears to overflow after all, and he gave a quiet sniffle, wiping them away with his sleeve. Yet again, Osomatsu didn't know what to do. "So- Sorry?"

Karamatsu shook his head. "I'm fine," he said, and took a deep breath. "I simply …" He paused, giving a chuckle. "…wasn't prepared for such kind words, brother."

Osomatsu raised his eyebrows. "Ah, shit – Um, I'll time it better next time, okay?"

"It's fine, I just … I'm – I'm really tired …" he mumbled, sniffled again, then lied down, using Osomatsu's lap as a pillow. "Is this okay with you? You'll have to deal with that anyway, sorry."

Osomatsu's mouth fell open, before he grinned. "You don't make the rules," he said. He couldn't believe Karamatsu remembered that conversation, after all that had happened since.

"I don't make the rules," he said, closing his eyes.

Osomatsu looked at him, an embarrassingly warm smile resting on his lips. He brushed his fingers through Karamatsu's hair carefully, and he fell asleep almost instantly. Osomatsu felt overwhelmed – he'd felt this before, with Todomatsu, but this was different: Karamatsu was just human – he was weak compared to everyone around him. Todomatsu could take care of himself, but Karamatsu – He needed to protect Karamatsu.

Oh, he was turning into such a _sap._ He was the worst devil in the history of devils!

He looked up for a moment, his own thoughts worrying him, and then caught a glimpse of Choromatsu on the other side of the terrace. He was looking at him, smiling knowingly, before returning to his book. Osomatsu wanted to scoff, but didn't, in case it would wake Karamatsu.

He could bother Choromatsu later. Right now, he could sit here, no matter how long it took until Karamatsu woke. And after a few minutes, he found himself dozing off as well …

When he woke again, the sky was painted orange and pink. Choromatsu was standing in front of him, smiling affectionately. Osomatsu noticed Karamatsu was still sleeping on his lap, drooling on his pants.

"It's time to go," he said quietly. "Matsuyo is here."

It took half a second for Osomatsu to understand what that meant. "Shit," he muttered, his heart suddenly speeding up.

Choromatsu shook his head. "It's going to be fine," he said. "You're just going to answer their questions. Matsuyo will be there."

He nodded, but his heart still didn't calm down. He swallowed. "I'll wake Karamatsu," he whispered. "I'm fine."

Choromatsu nodded, then went ahead. Osomatsu looked down to Karamatsu, and ran his fingers through his hair again. "Hey," he said, leaning slightly down so he could hear him when he spoke that softly. "Wakey wakey eggs and bakey."

Karamatsu jolted, his head crashing against Osomatsu's face. "What?" he said.

"Ugh – My nose," Osomatsu mumbled. Karamatsu sat up, giving him a horrified look.

"I'm sorry!" he gasped, voice still drowsy. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah," Osomatsu said, waving his hand. "Uh – Matsuyo his here, so …" He nodded towards the doors, trying to stop his breath from shaking.

Karamatsu blinked. "Are you sure you're okay?" he asked again, frowning worriedly.

Osomatsu sent him a smile. "Just a little nervous," he admitted, and got to his feet. "I'll get over it. No need to hold my hand or anything."

Karamatsu stood up as well. "It's going to be fine," he said.

"I hope so," Osomatsu muttered, as they walked into the living room again. The others were waiting by the elevator, all of them looking slightly nervous in their own ways.

Matsuyo smiled kindly at him. "Then we're all set," she said. "This isn't dangerous, everyone. I'm not going to lie and say it will go smoothly, because the High Council is very, ah… strict –"

"A.K.A. heartless," Ichimatsu mumbled dryly.

That didn't make Osomatsu feel any better. He glanced at Todomatsu. He didn't look much better either.

"Well," Matsuyo said. There was a pause. "Anyway – Just answer their questions, and don't lie. Even if it's just small white lies, you shouldn't risk it. And Osomatsu –"

"Yes?" he said, stiffer and louder than he'd planned.

Matsuyo sent him a sympathetic look. "Remember what I said. Try not to mention Lucifer if you can avoid it," she said. "It will only make matters worse."

Osomatsu frowned, but didn't question her. "Got it," he said, shoving his hands in his pockets. "But don't lie. Alrighty then."

"And behave," Choromatsu added, as if that wasn't a given. Osomatsu rolled his eyes.

"We have to go now," Matsuyo said, and the elevator doors opened magically. They all stepped into it, and Osomatsu suddenly felt like he abruptly had gotten a fear of elevators. He stared intently at the ground, jumping ever so slightly when they started moving downwards.

When they got out of the elevator again, Choromatsu walked up beside him. "You look a little pale," he said.

Osomatsu sent him a look. "I'm always pale," he said. "My skin is even gray sometimes."

"You're not always pale," Choromatsu disagreed, sending him a slightly teasing smile. "You just don't look like you've been out in the sun that much, that's all. But you're definitely paler than usual."

"Well," Osomatsu mumbled. "I actually feel like throwing up. Again. So that might explain it."

"Listen," Choromatsu said. "They brought us here to fix a problem, right? They've noticed that something's up. They're not out to get us. We're just here to tell our story."

"I appreciate your positivity," Osomatsu said. "Although it's a little weird that I'm the nervous one and not you right now. But honestly, you have an advantage. Totty and I, however … They hate us. They're going to use every single reason they can find to treat us like shit. You saw what happened last time."

"And last time I threatened an angel because of that," Choromatsu said. "I don't think they like any of us that much, to be honest. But we have your back. We'll be out of there soon enough."

Osomatsu took a deep breath as his stomach did a somersault. "If we could take a pit stop at the toilet that would be –"

"It's here," Matsuyo said, stopping their group outside a door looking like it had come to a party thinking it was more formal than it actually was, compared to the other doors in the hallway. It was bedazzled with diamonds and crystals and gold, and around it was shiny marble. Karamatsu probably thought it was magnificent. "Are you ready?"

It was quiet, and when he looked up, he saw that she was looking at him. "Uh – Sure," he said lamely.

Matsuyo nodded, then knocked on the door. It opened by itself. She walked in, and the others followed hesitantly, with Osomatsu and Choromatsu in the far back.

"Shit," Osomatsu whispered, forcing away the nausea washing over him.

"Not that I haven't told you this before," Choromatsu whispered back. "But now would be a really good time to watch your language."

"Shit, sorry – Ah, fuck."

"I guess you tried."

"Shut up."

They walked into a spacious room, filled with tables formed into a horseshoe. There were seven empty chairs – three on each side of the ends of the horse shoe, and one alone in the middle. On the rest of the chairs, sat several angels, all looking just as grave serious as their neighbor. For someone who were supposed to be all good and protective and pure, they sure could look scary if they wanted to. Osomatsu guessed this was why the angels yelled "fear not" so much.

But they weren't doing that right now. In fact, it looked more like they were just mentally telling him to "fear".

The angel in the middle stood up. "Welcome," he said. His voice was rather … cheery? But not exactly. He sounded like he was in pain. Like he was being threatened into sounding cheery at gun point. "Thank you for coming here. Please take a seat. Osomatsu –"

He tried not to jump when the angel said his name. "That's me," he said, then mentally scolded himself for not just saying a simple "yes".

"Please take a seat in the middle."

"Of course," he said, catching sarcasm in his own voice. _Just control yourself, would you?_ he thought to himself. He sat down in the chair, feeling horribly vulnerable. The angels stared back at him as the others sat down, like he was some kind of circus animal. And this time, giving them challenging grins wouldn't help him, like it had done out in the streets of the city. He noticed a familiar face sitting in one of the chairs – the asshole angel from the other day. The one that had hurt him for no reason.

Apparently Osomatsu was giving him an annoyed look, because the angel raised his eyebrows at him. He looked away, again trying to gain control of himself.

"So, Osomatsu," the angel – the head of the High Council, he guessed – said, smiling stiffly. "and Todomatsu. Those are names I have not heard before. I am Camael, and –"

"Camel?" Osomatsu said before he could stop himself. Camael stopped, giving him a surprised look. "Ah – Sorry, that just kind of … slipped." His cheeks were burning.

"Right," Camael said, putting pressure on the "t". "As I was saying – I am Camael, the archangel of strength, courage and war. I assume you, Choromatsu, already know my name?"

Choromatsu straightened his back, looking confused for a moment. "Uh, y- yes, sir," he said, sounding like he wasn't even aware that he knew that.

Camael nodded. "Then there is Jyushimatsu and Ichimatsu," he continued. "I do know you two. Young angels, or … angel, I suppose. Ichimatsu, what compelled you to do such a reckless thing like this?"

Ichimatsu stared back at him unwaveringly. "Because you kicked me out in the middle of an upcoming war," he said flatly. "And I feel the need to protect the Heavens, even after I saw your true colors."

Camael looked a little taken aback. "Our true colors?" he repeated, then shook his head. "No matter. And lastly –" He turned around to Karamatsu, whose eyes widened noticeably. "Karamatsu Matsuno. It is truly an honor to meet you, as I never got the chance to meet your parents."

Karamatsu opened his mouth, but didn't get a word out as Camael kept talking.

"Honestly, I was not even aware that they had a son. Such a pleasant surprise," he smiled brightly, and looked genuinely excited about the situation, like Karamatsu was some kind of prince from a faraway land. Karamatsu didn't look as amused – _I was not even aware that they had a son._ Was he stupid? – but smiled bravely anyway.

"Thank you, sir," he said. "It's an honor to be here as well."

Camael smiled contently, then turned back to Osomatsu, his smile shrinking. "Then to business," he said. "You come here with a message. Tell us exactly what that message is, please."

Osomatsu wanted to whine " _again?_ " but caught himself this time. He cleared his throat. "As I've been saying," he said, trying to not sound as annoyed as he felt. "There's been a change in Hell, a.k.a. a revolution, so it's actually pretty big. Lucifer has been thrown off his throne, which has been taken over, by … a devil named Tougou." The last part came out quicker and not as clear as the first part of the sentence. "And Tougou wants to put his long lived plan of taking over the Surface into action. And when he's done that, he plans on taking over the Heavens."

Camael nodded, his smile having slowly melted away as Osomatsu spoke. He was looking at something behind him, and it took a moment for him to realize that it was his tail, which he had been moving back and forth. A nervous habit. He decided he didn't want to stop doing it just because it ticked the angel off. "If you do not mind me asking," he said, sounding like he couldn't care less of what Osomatsu did or didn't mind. "Why would you, a devil, want to save… _the Surface_? Not only because you are from Hell, but this devil Tougou… he is also your father, is he not?"

Osomatsu gritted his teeth, trying to keep his emotions away from his face. "He is," Osomatsu said stiffly. "Let's just say we don't have a particularly good relationship. And I want to save the Surface, because …" His mind wandered off to his second meeting with Choromatsu. "Because I like the Surface." He shrugged.

Camael narrowed his eyes, then gave a laughing huff. "You _like_ the Surface?" he repeated. "And why should we believe that?"

"I've never been too fond of the way things work in Hell, to be honest," Osomatsu said, swallowing down his growing irritation. "It's a hassle. I've been in the same church for millennia, and it's been the same all along – go out, kill some angels, eat some souls … It gets boring after a while, you know?"

Camael wrinkled his nose ever so slightly. "Do you kill angels often?" he asked, with a warning undertone.

Osomatsu raised his eyebrows, the urge to mess with the angel's head unbearably strong. "As a devil, wouldn't you expect that from me?" he asked, tilting his head to the side. There was a pang in his chest, and he immediately knew it was Choromatsu scolding him through their bound souls. He gave a sigh. "But no. Not anymore."

"But you _have_ killed angels before?"

"Of course," he said. "That's what we do, isn't it?"

"And what about souls?" Camael asked, sounding more and more disgusted.

"What about them?" Osomatsu asked, feeling the same towards him. His patience was already growing short. If they wanted to treat him like shit, then they should be able to fucking deal with the consequences as well. "If I eat them? If I punish them? The answer is yes for both anyway. Though it's been a little while now."

Camael quirked an eyebrow. "Which would mean?"

"About three weeks, maybe?"

He raised his eyebrows, then shook his head slightly. "Okay. And back to the angel killings – why did you stop?"

Osomatsu's mind blanked for a moment. He'd stopped because the job became too much for him – but it had become too much for him because he no longer wanted to work for Tougou. And that desire had arisen because he'd possessed someone as powerful as Karamatsu's mother. It had left him traumatized. "I didn't want to work for Tougou," he said, cutting the story short. He wasn't lying. "And killing angels is a hassle. You're good fighters."

"So you are saying you stopped killing angels because you are lazy?" Camael asked.

Osomatsu shrugged. "Pretty much."

"And what about your conscience?"

He tilted his head to the side, a smile playing at his lips. "My conscience?" he repeated. "Do I feel guilty for killing all those angels? No, I don't. Sorry."

Camael lifted his head. "You do realize you are making it very hard for me to trust you when you go on like that?" he asked.

Osomatsu stared back at him. The good thing about letting his irritation get to him was that it clouded over his anxiety. The bad thing was that it made his mouth act on its own. "I was told not to lie," he said. "Though, whichever you prefer."

There was a pang in his chest again. He ignored it.

"Quite a joker, are you not?" Camael said, folding his hands. He studied him for a moment. "I have been informed that these wings of yours weren't there last time. Is that true?"

"Yes," Osomatsu said, and his stomach did another somersault. How could he explain them without mentioning Lucifer? "Devils can grow wings if they become strong enough. Did you not know?"

"I did," Camael said. "I just find it peculiar that they grew that quick. Is it not a bit abnormal? Or are you just that strong?" He sounded like he was mocking him.

Osomatsu narrowed his eyes. "I do share blood with the one who defeated Lucifer," he said coldly. "Are you really that surprised?"

They had a staring contest for a few seconds, until Camael looked down to his papers. "There is another, completely different topic written down here," he said, looking up again. "It says you and the goddess Choromatsu seem fairly close. How did you find him?"

He frowned. "You say it as if you were hiding him," he commented, glancing at Choromatsu. He was looking nervously between him and Camael, his hands folded tightly in front of him. "I was sent to kill him," he then said. Camael raised his eyebrows again. "Which I didn't, obviously. It was when Tougou revealed that he was going to throw Lucifer off, so I ran away, pretending that I was going out to kill him. Instead we just had a nice chat, so …" He quirked an eyebrow. "Why is that so interesting?"

"I am the one asking the questions here," Camael simply said, clearly not caring that he sounded awfully secretive. "The second question is: What do you know about him?"

Osomatsu blinked. "What do I know about Choromatsu?" he asked. Camael nodded once. He frowned, looking at the man in question. Choromatsu looked just as clueless. "Man – _Choromatsu_ doesn't even know much about Choromatsu. How should I know anything about him?"

"You tell me," Camael said.

He shrugged. "Choromatsu … has lived in a lake for as long as he can remember. Uh, he's bad a flying. He's a control freak, he worries too much, um…" He grimaced. "He left his lake because of me. Because I, accidentally might I tell you, lured danger to his lake."

Camael nodded. "You lured him out of his lake," he said.

Osomatsu's eye twitched. "No," he said, trying to speak normally. "I saved him."

"By putting him in danger."

"By _accident!_ "

Camael sent him a sharp look, and a different kind of pang in his chest shot at him. He gave a pained sneer, gripping his chest.

"Keep your voice down, please," Camael said. "And remain calm."

Osomatsu stared at him for a long time, but then decided it wouldn't get him anywhere. He looked down. "Sorry," he grumbled.

"Osomatsu," Camael continued. "What exactly is your relationship with your father?"

The irritation just grew more when they referred to him as that. "He hates me," he said. "I hate him. He's tried to kill me multiple times."

"On which occasions?" the angel prompted.

He fought the urge to roll his eyes. "The first time when he found out I'd been hanging out with Choromatsu," he said. "I got away, but he broke my shin in half. And… The second time was when we summoned a demon to torture information out of, wasn't it? He appeared, surprisingly, and I probably would've been dead if Choromatsu hadn't saved me." He sent him a short smile at that. Then his smile faltered. "And the third time … was …" He silently took a deep breath. "I'd been to Hell, to uh … to free Karamatsu's parents' souls. You knew about that, right?"

Camael nodded, glancing at Karamatsu, who was staring intently at the table now, and then back at Osomatsu.

"Well," he continued. "Everything was weirdly quiet down there when I was there, so the mission went smoothly. But it was a trap, of course. When I got back, a demon followed me there. He stabbed me in the back, then I guess he teleported me back to Hell. It's the last thing I remember before I woke up in … in …"

Don't think. Don't think. Just breathe.

"Woke up in?" Camael repeated.

 _Shut up_ , Osomatsu thought, staring at his lap.

"Osomatsu," he said. "The third time your father tried to –"

" _Stop calling him my father_!" Osomatsu suddenly snapped, his impatience mixed with the growing fear making his tongue roll on its own. Camael looked a bit taken aback. His eyes scanned his body, the hint of disgust in his eyes quite visible to Osomatsu. He looked down on himself, and saw that his arms were tinted gray. He sighed, closed his eyes and shook his head. "Sorry, I'm sorry," he quickly said, while trying to calm his breathing.

Choromatsu's chair creaked. "Osomatsu –" he started.

"Be quiet, goddess," Camael ordered. Choromatsu froze, then sat back down again. He looked back to Osomatsu. "Continue your story, please."

Just then, there was a warm feeling in his chest. He looked up, and saw that Choromatsu was staring intently at him. He his fists were clenching and unclenching, and he looked deeply concentrated. It was like when they practiced flying. Choromatsu was trying to help him find that place in his mind. He smiled softly back at him, before turning to Camael.

"The third time he tried to execute me the traditional way," Osomatsu said, focusing on the warm feeling. "But he held me prisoner for two days. In Hell-time, that is. Mere hours passed on the Surface."

"How did you escape?" Camael asked.

"I managed to break free," Osomatsu said. "Ichimatsu, Todomatsu and Karamatsu found me, and Ichimatsu teleported us back to the Surface."

"Karamatsu?" Camael turned to the lastly mentioned. "What were you doing in Hell?"

Karamatsu looked up. "I, uh – I wanted to find Osomatsu," he said. "I wanted to save him."

"Really?" Camael said, sounding puzzled. "It is such a mystery to me, how a man like you could become friends with a man such as him. Why is that?"

Karamatsu met his eyes for a moment. He was good at keeping this brave, collected mask, but Osomatsu could see how stressed his was getting. He looked back to Camael. "He has been through a lot for the Heavens' sake, and he has been a good friend to me," he said. "He is not just my friend. He's my brother."

Camael raised his eyebrows. "Your brother?" he asked. "Pardon me for asking, Mr. Matsuno – How did you end up trusting him, as it was creatures like him who took your parents away?"

The room somehow became more quiet than it already had been. Osomatsu clenched his jaw. He could feel Choromatsu's anxiety through the soul binding. Karamatsu was looking blankly at Camael, the panic in his eyes nearly invisible. "I – I –" he stammered. "Y- You're generalizing all beings from Hell. Not all of them are the same. All of them cannot stand for one's action, just like humans, and just like angels." Karamatsu lifted his head. "God has told me that nobody can judge but Him. I'll follow those words until the day I die. A- And after."

Nice talking around the truth, Karamatsu. It still made him feel like shit, but nice!

"So you don't believe he is capable of such horrible crimes?" Camael asked, clearly not liking the thought of the two of them being friends.

He could practically see the wheels turning in Karamatsu's brain. How could he talk around this one? He didn't _think_ Osomatsu was capable of such horrible crimes, he _knew_ he was. He was the one who'd committed that horrible crime!

"N- Not anymore …" Karamatsu tried. "Or – Or I mean …" He opened and closed his mouth several times. Osomatsu thought that if he listened closely enough, he could hear his heart hammering against his ribs.

Don't lie, Karamatsu. Matsuyo had told them not to risk it. Don't –

"Osomatsu wouldn't –"

"It was me."

The words were out of his mouth before he had the chance to think. It happened again, except this was the worst of them all – the ultimate slip of the tongue. He'd done it. The worst thing possible.

Camael, and all the other angels, laid their eyes on him. "Excuse me?" Camael said. He didn't even sound surprised. He probably thought he'd heard something wrong.

Osomatsu glanced at Karamatsu, who was looking at him with wide eyes, as if trying to mentally send a messages just consisting of " _No, no, no, no, no, no, no_!" He swallowed, looking away from him again. Sorry, Karamatsu.

To his left, Choromatsu's feelings were going berserk. He didn't dare to look at any of them.

He tried looking at Camael, but shot his eyes to the ground. "I … It was me," he said. "I'm the one who killed his parents."

Maybe he'd get brownie points for being honest.

"You –" Camael started, all the friendliness gone from his voice. " _You_ did it? You were the one who killed the Matsunos?"

He forced himself to look up at him. "It was what made me stop working for Tougou," he said. "Because possessing someone as powerful as she was is … dangerous."

One of the angels stood up. "This is outrageous," she said. "This is what we've been looking for, for ten years. And now their murderer just shows up like that! We can't let a chance like this pass!"

"I agree," the asshole angel from before sounded, sounding calm, but looking like he'd just heard the biggest news of his life. "It must be a sign."

More angels stood up, talking over each other. Osomatsu looked around himself, worried that his mistake might even be a little worse than he'd originally thought.

Camael lifted a hand, and the room went quiet. "Very well," he said, looking at Osomatsu with cold eyes. "Osomatsu… I thought that sounded familiar. You have made quite a name of yourself, both in Hell and the Heavens. You're not just _any_ devil. You are one of the worst."

Osomatsu gritted his teeth. "Am I?" he asked, trying to mask his anxiety. "What an honor."

Camael bared his teeth, then did a movement with his arm. The doors behind Osomatsu slammed open, and he automatically jumped up from his chair, whipping around. Two burly angels came walking in, carrying spears like they were from 10.000 BC.

"Take him," Camael said. "Let him die for his crimes as he should have, ten years ago."


	11. Moving

Hey, I won't update on here anymore, since literally nobody is on anymore, so it doesn't really do me any good, and I never bother to fix the mistakes on here, so it just makes me feel bad lmao. But feel free to continue reading the story on archiveofourown, where I've posted chapter 11 now. Thank you for understanding.


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